The Taste of Pomegranates
by Doormouse
Summary: Abandon hope all ye who enter here!  A GrimMandy Romance set against a backdrop of Dante Alighieri's version of Hell with twists of Greek mythology scattered throughout.
1. The Lady Speaks

**I know those of you waiting for an update of Requiem are probably frustrated...but I'm excited about this.**

**To those just reading this, updates will be slow, at least until I finish Requiem.**

**Anyway, Mandy could be considered a bit OC, but I disagree, just because she never tells us about herself, and she is very smart so god only knows what does go through her head.**

**Anyway, it is a Grim/Mandy piece so if that couple frustrates you, don't bother reading, you won't enjoy this.**

**I don't own Grim or Mandy or Billy or any of the characters in "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy" though if you have him I wouldn't mind owning Jeff. He's cool, for a spider. **

**I make no profits...yada yada yada. **

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The literary theme of "Death and the Maiden" has in the course of time been used so many times I should think it a genre like Comedy or Drama at this juncture. All the same it isn't, but it is a large part of my life. They often refer to it as The Dance of Death in poetry because it is a verbal dance between Death and the chosen lady he is to reap the immortal soul of in that particular poem.

I mention this all as a precursor to bringing up my particular favorite, one in which a rich woman tries to bribe Death, begging him not to kill her. I realize of course that it is meant to show that in death we are all equal, kings and paupers. We will all die. But it is not in this that I find such love for the poem. You see, quite simply, it reminds me of me.

No I would never be dense enough to think that while I was able to enslave the Grim Reaper I may escape death. In the sense of my vital functions ceasing, it is more he who cannot escape me in the physical sense. I know where he is at all times, like now, he's at Billy's house, probably being beaten senseless by Billy's domineering mother.

What reminds me of myself, and what allows me to, on a level, connect with the Lady is this: I could offer Grim anything, not that at the moment I have any true riches, but nothing I could offer would take back the last ten years. Nothing will erase ten years of torture and humiliation and nothing I could offer him would bring him to give me the only thing I have found I crave.

Crave is the word, I need it like I need air and food and just as it is with air and food I will never admit I am so weak as to need this to continue living.

You see, I do not quite know when, but somewhere between winning him as a slave and best friend for all eternity and using his femur to reach the remote behind the couch, I fell in love with the Grim Reaper.

There is a difference though. While I do see Grim wanting to say something to the effect of "Take leave of all your carnal vain delight" in which this ballad he does, I could never call any approach, or really any action he has made since I enslaved him as a "Bold attempt". It is not before Grim that Kings will lay down their scepters, not any longer.

I now find myself at a wall. No matter what I offer Grim short of freedom he will not allow me to sponge out this last decade, and should I dare and offer him his freedom I am most certain he would escape before I could get the words out that I did care for him even a shred.

To release him would please him but in doing so I would never see him again, at least until it was my time. And by then I could be so old or so changed he would no longer see me. Which would be bad. Even if it meant him returning these damnable feelings I would not want his heart if it were not given freely to me; me, the girl who at ten enslaved him over the life of a sickly hamster. One who died later anyway without much thought given to his passing.

I do not want to be a twisted monarch on a bluff, keeping what makes me happy imprisoned just so it will always be close to me, always be near so I can peer at it from my tower room and then retreat to the shadows where I will smile in secret. At the same time though I do not want to be a liar and be yet another to reuse the trite adage of "If he is happy I will be happy". Nor do I wish to use the adage of "If you love it, set if free". Not one of those scenarios fits my life and my problems so I am left with this question gnawing at my insides while days pass to weeks. Days to weeks to months of me mocking, tormenting, belittling and torturing the Grim Reaper while internally I commit his "Pale visage" to memory, treasure every weak smile he manages for whatever reason and continue to act aggressively to both he and Billy, jealous of how easy they can resort to an odd, inexplicable friendship; despite Grim hating Billy and Billy being too much of a dunce to even know the difference between Grim and a coat on a coat rack. Or a little boy in a costume.

I am sure what respect I have fought my whole life to earn would be lost if they knew that in the secret of my room I pine, I sigh, and I dream.

Do not think that I am so different from the face I put on, I am not. It took me years to realize I cared for that bonehead and I still am me, there was just more to me than I saw. I did not dare look to that fragile part of my heart. A heart of glass to use a maudlin phrase, one often used by one of those singers my parents insist on listening to at great length.

I do not pretend to mean that inside the cruel girl is a little girl wishing for a prince charming to rescue her. What I mean is that, I know as a flaw human hearts are fragile things, often broken, so, should you own something precious and fragile, what reason have you to put it in danger. Someone once said, "Hearts will never be practical things until they are made unbreakable."

It is true, and I still think that I would have been happier in the end if Grim had just removed the infernal thing when I asked him to, though at the time his solution was just as well.

Now it is too late for me. I would rather die than let go of these feelings, pain and all they are most precious to me and just as I do not think I could live without the one so dreaded by all others in my life I do not think that without these precious feelings, pain and joy all wrapped together, I could continue living.

Though I do not think you came to read of my obsessing ranting about the Grim Reaper and the love I have grudgingly come to accept that I feel for him. It has been a long while since last we met.

Times have changed here in Endsville, though the large things never do really change. Billy still lives with his parents, his mother still coordinating everything in his life. Which though I do consider myself a higher power in his life, I appreciate her effort, I couldn't make do with Billy as a slave if not for her and her efforts in keeping him together.

It is rather difficult to have a slave without a functioning brain.

Mindy is off at college, as are most of us at this point. She went to New York to study fashion design last I heard, I do not know how this will work out for her but I am glad to be rid of her. Sperg learned the hard way that past eighteen it is no longer the trivial matter of Juvenile Hall. I heard that he is coming up for parole soon but do not know if the rumors are true.

Billy sometimes remembers to attend class but mostly stays home, where his mother wants him, and waits with Grim for me to return. Not willingly of course, but they had better wait than face my wrath.

Grim, of course, hasn't changed a bit, I could tell you ever curve and every valley in those bones of his even without the secret passion I hold for him, so similar is he to the day we met.

I attend a local school. I would admit it faster than my love for the Reaper but it is still unlikely to be voiced soon. I am at home here, I do not wish to leave and should I ever achieve World Domination I will rule from here.

I live alone, a small apartment still near enough to Billy's but closer to school than my parents'. I moved out as soon as I was eighteen. I was coming to grips with this hopeful, emotional side of me and I need a private place to accept it or I will go mad. More and more we congregate at Billy's and that is just as well.

It is not as though I write my innermost thoughts out nor have I constructed a shrine to Death in the coat closet. But it is my space, and I need it to remain my sanctuary, untouched by neither nerd, idiot, or even Grim.

Mention of nerd does bring Erwin to mind. He is well I think, still madly in love with me for reasons I have not come to understand in these long years. He moved though, left with the others when it was time for us to grow up and attend college. He's doing well, scholarships and friends as I am told. I suppose MIT is a good place for him, fellow nerds and things to do, he is smart, I do not deny it and I never did, just when it came to dealing with real people he had less intelligence than I hoped.

Nergal Jr. is happy. He finally has found a place for himself where he fits in, where no one teases him for his glasses or the fact that he's from the center of the earth. He's in Law School. Doing quiet well I hear.

It seems everyone is finding their shreds of happiness where they can, even Billy has. Only I remain cold day by day, waiting for that moment that will never come. The moment where Grim will look at me and all the hurt and pain will vanish like smoke and he will see me, a young woman, her whole life ahead of her-or not-and maybe that will be enough.

Even if it happens I am certain I am not enough for him, he is death, if he loves at all it is a fine lady like in the paintings from the Renaissance. Paintings of Death and his lover. He will find his Persephone one day, of that I am sure.

All the same I have taken a liking of eating pomegranates around Grim.

Things here never seem to change, not in the long run anyway, the people still remain the same at the end of the day. I doubt they ever _really _will change.

That's why they call it Endsville I suppose.


	2. Death Speaks

**I still don't own anything. **

** I still do love the show.**

**I love that you all have recieved this so well.**

**Comments to specific reviewers at the bottom. as always **

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"Do you not know me? I will tell you then: I am he that conquers all the sons of men, No pitch of honor from my dart is free, My name is Death! Have you not heard of me?"

Death used to mean something to people. Used to mean something to me. Now I am a lackey, a servant, a _pet _for a small child. And people are more worried about how they will die rather than that they will actually die. Not that my showing up to reap their souls in a pink apron helps matters much.

_Grown woman._ I must remind myself.

Compared to my age she is a child, but one can look at her and see she is obviously not a child anymore. I see men look at her—even with a walking skeleton at her side. Not to say I do not notice her, how could I not. I have no skin, no blood, no heart, and certainly no breath, but I am still a man—in a sense.

Either way, men are men, and she is pretty, even with that scowl that proves looks probably can kill. Billy...well that's something else entirely now isn't it?

He's...

I don't want to think about that boy, he worries me enough as it is without thinking about his inner workings. Take that to mean his mind or his organs, either one is frightening enough. I have never, in ten years of knowing him—which for mortals is quite a bit—known which frightens me more, the things he does, and survives, or that he doesn't seem to learn from them.

She, Mandy, puts up with him, and sometimes, when things are quiet and Billy is enthralled with the television, I wonder if maybe I know why she does. Sometimes it seems that she realizes she had alienated everyone. She realizes that all she has left is Billy—to stupid to be put off by her insults—and Irwin who is too smitten to be put off.

She also has me, though I don't know how much that means.

She doesn't see me, for anything more than the one who will do her chores and entertain her when she cannot stand television anymore. A coat-rack or maybe not even that. I am easily tossed aside if I'm not wanted around, buried in the yard by Saliva.

Eventually she'll have Billy dig me up but the point is that I am little more to her than Billy or Irwin. Possibly less, sometimes she refuses to look at me. She will look to my left. To my right. Above me. Anywhere but at me.

Now especially it comes to light how much she doesn't need us. She is always away at college, maybe with new friends, new minions. Either way she doesn't need us as much as we seem to need her.

She's the only one Billy seems to remember for more than a few days at a time, and well, it is true, I have gotten accustomed to her, and I do not think that I could simply be the Grim Reaper ever again. I am used to being around them.

And for all they torture me I do care for them, at least enough that I will stay with them for as long as they live. Which the way Billy eats can't be too much longer.

People mock me, and they don't believe in me, and they do not care anymore. And neither do I. I, for all my complaining, for all my whining and my whimpering and my hatred, I am happy here.

I collect souls. No one dies alone as I am there in their death. I have watched eons of people die in hundreds of ways, and through it all I have never stood back and watched humans live. It is...remarkable. Like nothing I have ever seen.

I realize that Billy and his mother and father and Scar and Mandy and Mindy and Sperg...none of them are normal...

But are any of you?

You are normal in the fact that you are all unlike each other.

I do not wish to leave, not that I would admit that to any of the people who surround me. Especially Mandy.

In the best of situations she would mock me.

_I am the Grim Reaper! I should not wish to be near children. People. Living _mortals.

In the worst of situations she would free me.

_I do not think I could exsist—nothing I do can be called living—without her in my life. _

Even Billy means something to me in a strange sort of way. Though in all honesty, I think it is more reasonable for me to like Billy.

He's a gym sock eating—clown hating—dancing—idiot.

But he smiles and he laughs and you can tell, in some moments, that he does care for you. He does miss me, if he realizes I'm gone. He did fight to keep me when his family threatened to move.

Mandy on the other side of things.

To call her enigmatic does not begin to describe.

"You hate someone whom you really wish to love, but whom you cannot love--" _I do hate her though. Mandy. She has tortured, humiliated, and made me wish for myself. Death that is. I do not love her, I do not reap her because it is not her time. Sadly. _"--Perhaps she herself prevents you." _She prevents anyone from caring for her. She's an angry little tree stump of a woman. She hates everyone and everything. When she found herself in love, she wished to lose her heart in the literal sense. She hates anything happy, love most of all. _"--That is a disguised form of love." _That's ridiculous. She doesn't love anyone. And anyone who loves her is tormented at her own hands._

I do not know who said that.

The quote lingers with me. It was in one of her books. I've long been reduced to doing her homework and need little prompting at it after so long with her. In college she does her own work, enjoys it even. She's happy finally I think. Though I doubt she would ever admit it. I think she fears that admiting it would make her vulnerable.

To what I'm not sure.

Either way, in high school I remember being forced to read that quote for some project of hers. It has stuck with me despite efforts I have made to erase it from my mind.

It stays though and so do thoughts that I may care for either of them, let alone Mandy.

I suppose, even for death my thoughts must seem a bit maudlin.

Hating her.

Loving her.

She hates me, it's obvious. I'm a pawn and you cannot love your pawns. The only time she treats me like more than an insect, is when we play chess, and I think she only does that for the sheer irony of it.

College has done that to her. _Life _has done that to her.

She has fallen in love with the moments that would make her smile if she trusted anyone to see her smile. She plays chess with me, she watches Irwin pine. She tells Billy riddles.

We have not seen her house, we are not allowed.

I am not hurt, and I do not view this as an insult, a reminder that we are lesser than her.

She has lived her life in a small town, with Irwin and Billy giving her little to no privacy. She needs a place of her own. A place where she can smile. Where she can do her secret feminine things that no one is privileged to see.

It is why I doubt she will find someone. She has this side of her, hidden behind armor and walls and probably defenses along the lines of missiles and land mines, she refuses to even acknowledge it herself at times, but it's there.

You can see it, the smile at least, hiding in the corners of her mouth sometimes. Or in her eyes.

I do not believe that anyone who has not been around her as long as I have could see it. Though Billy is much too stupid to realize what it is, and Irwin is too busy being in love—or what he calls love at the very least.

I mentioned irony once before. I listed the things, the riddles, the chess. She does other things as well, do not think that is all, those are the ones I understand.

She is always eating pomegranates now. You rarely see her without one in hand, or her lips, shimmering. Stars. Moons. Two moons pressed together, holding back slivers of white, knives, pearls even. Her mouth distracts me more than it should.

I do not remember what I was talking about.

She always smells of pomegranates as well. And that reminds me of her mouth when she eats them. The parting of her teeth, the flesh of the fruit being pierced.

Her mouth really distracts me more than it should.

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**Lily of the Shadow: **I am glad you see it as IC. I hope that I manage to keep Grim IC as well. Gotta keep up the standards I set for myself. I look forward to seeing if you liked this chapter as well. I do so love reviews. I mean they're what tells me what I need to improve so I can get better. Which is what I want to do. That and amuse you and my other readers.

**neodanmatter: **I'm glad you think it's deep and I hope it remains good.

**Atrophy-Conception: **I wish you would write yours as well, if you can, I love Grim/Mandy stuff and I'm touched that you read mine first, and liked it! Thought it beatiful even. I don't think there's enough romance between these two, and we need to support the couple! Fight the popular conception!

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo: **Thank you, I'm glad you thought it well written and I hope this chapter is just as deep, and just as good as the last (At the least).

**Shay bo Bay: **Yay indeed!

**Animegurl088: **Thank you!

**Sonic Rose: **Bravo even? Well thank you very much. I hope this is just as in character and I hope that the use of poems and myths and stories keeps being interesting. It's a theme I hope to carry to the end of this. Should I be able to find enough, which I doubt could ever be a problem, it's a pretty popular theme. so yay for me.

**Soldier of Darkness: **I worry about the odd look but you said you liked it so I will trust you, and yes obviously I intend it to be a multichapter story. I think those are most fun, and I have trouble writing less. I love Hades/Persephone too, so hopefully I can keep it up for the whole story and give it the attention it deserves. We'll have to see. And there are tons of awesome Death/Lady things, art and songs and poems. So you'll get to see new ones too (hopefully!).

**Amanda Saitou: **I do plan to continue until a satisfying end, and I hope I keep up to my old standards with this new chapter as well! That's the hardest part, keeping each chapter just as good or better than the last. So you'll have to tell me how I'm doing! (well obviously you don't have to but I woudl appreciate it.)

** Unknown: **Thank you. I'm glad you liked it, "wow"ed it even. I loved that you felt it deep and well thought out.

**and FOREVER: **Soon enough updates?

**aLLgirL112: ** Here is your new chapter!


	3. The Lady Speaks 2

**Still don't own much. **

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"_Yes; I have heard of thee, time after time; But, being in the glory of my prime, I did think you would have come so soon; why must my morning sun go down at noon?"_Some of my fantasies are so ridiculous I wonder why I bother. I am at the prime of my life. I could accept Irwin's many propositions, or I could accept one of the other—more normal—men who want me even if Death never will. 

I sit in my classes and listen to teachers and wonder. What could my life have been like if I treated him well? What could my life be if he cared for me with even a fraction of the passion I hold for him?

I cannot fathom.

I cannot _fathom_ what my life would be if I had him stand willingly beside me. If I had not seen only a minion where there was so much more. Hades loved Persephone even when she tried to leave, but I have nothing to keep Grim to me as he had for her.

Grim was never given a chance to love me, only chances to hate and hate and hate. It is my own fault in the end that I remain alone. It's my own fault, my own doing.

_I want it that way._

Endsville is a small town, we're lucky if we get the new _Exploding Penguins _movie. Hating them or not I know most of the people my age and I know their families. I've seen marriages break up. I've seen fathers or mothers just up and leave. I've seen families that stayed together just because they thought together was better no matter the fighting. They never see what it does to their kids, I do. Their kids come crying to their friends—even if we don't want to listen.

Which I never really do.

I used to think that love was a weakness, but it's worse than that even.

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love."

I was looking for a quote to close an essay with, the internet is easier to use, by far, than Bartlett's. I logged on to Thinkexist and prepared for some searching and found that on the main page as a "featured quote" or some-such nonsense

I knew of Neil Gaimen of course. I had never heard that quote though, and now I almost wave it as my personal banner.

It isn't so much a weakness, as a vulnerability. Weakness implies that you're weak, and Achilles proved you can be anything but weak and still be vulnerable. I spent my life trying to protect myself from falling in love. Going so far as to order Grim to cut my heart out—I do not, to this day, know why he didn't leap at the chance—just to avoid it. I thought, when I broke Piff's heart that I was finally immune. I thought that I could be free of all those horrid trappings and I wouldn't need to worry at all. And then one day, I woke up and realized not only was I _in love _but that I had been for a very long while without even knowing it.

Grim certainly didn't _try _to make me love him. Probably wouldn't want me to even if it would mean his freedom. I cannot say what stupid thing he did to make me love him, I cannot even say _when _I fell for him, only that I know it has been for a very long while, and that it is love, nothing else. No matter how much I wish it weren't so. I hate that I love him.

Hate it. Love him.

Love it. Hate him.

It doesn't matter either way, none of it really matters because I could not live without this feeling no matter how much it hurts. No matter how much I love it or hate it, I am in love with him and I cannot do anything about it.

If I tell him I care, I will lose him.

If I act more kindly he will know something is wrong and he will find out that I care and I will lose him.

If I continue to act as normal I will keep him forever, but nothing will ever change.

I will not lose, but I'm not sure yet what this game takes to win. I don't know what to do.

And it is not as though there is someone I can go to and ask for help. My parents are usually wrapped up in each other. Not that I would trust either of them to understand. Billy—the mere thought actually brings a laugh bubbling out, but I am still left without advice. Grim, well, no. Irwin...that wouldn't go well. He may handle me turning him down and beating him and mocking him, but I don't think he could give advice and listen to me without trying to challenge Grim or some nonsense.

Either way you can see my dilemma. I have no one I can turn to, not that I really believe I would trust anyone to help at all.

Which leaves me stuck with no idea of what to do to win. Because I _never lose. _

Not that I would ever admit I didn't know the rules to the game, that would be akin to asking for help and in addition to never losing I don't ask for help either.

Sometimes it makes me want to scream or tear my hair out or something that seems so perfectly normal in other women, but I know I cannot show that sort of emotion. I don't even know how to be in love.

Which sounds perfectly ridiculous unless you think about it, which—believe me—I have.

I don't share what I'm thinking or feeling. I have those secret places in me I do not allow other people and I will always want a space of my own were no one is allowed. A sanctuary if you will. I know what people do, obviously.

But I don't know how they do it. How can they allow someone so close? Even if you trust someone if you plan to stay as you are—the person they supposedly fell in love with—how can you allow them into every part of your soul?

You have to have some things that are just yours or you both will lose who you are and become some third entity which is part of you and part of him and leaves neither of you whole.

Even if I could tell him how I feel. Even if he did, by some miracle, feel the same. Even if everything worked out for the best, I would not make a normal girlfriend, or wife.

And I don't think I could be a mother.

Lacking anatomy aside on his part. I do not think I could do it.

Children are so noisy and can be stupid without meaning to be...they're sticky and weak and I can't even babysit I'm not certain you'd want me to be a mother.

Oh! I never know what's the matter with me anymore it's so...It's something I would expect of Mindy.

He will never return my merest of feelings and here I am thinking of marriage and the fear of bearing children. Wondering if he even can! Which wouldn't matter anyway.

Another thing I cannot understand is how could it be love if something like that held you back? How could you say you felt love for someone but didn't want to be with them because they could not have children, or could not...do other things. I fell in love with a voice and with a smile and thoughts and things he says...

More intimate things come later so wouldn't they only inhance the love? Could they really be part of that initial feeling?

I suppose you're not meant to examine it like that, but as I only have myself I have to examine things, it's the closest I can come to making a move in this ridiculous game with no winners or losers or even rules.

"Mandy?"

I try to stop myself but I jump all the same. I was so distracted, so lost in my thoughts I didn't realize that he'd already made his move and it was my turn again. There was something to the fact that I always played darks and allowed him to take the white.

I'm certain that if he thought about it he thought it was a statement that I was more evil, more dark, than he. It was more obscure than that, and I do not blame that no one will understand.

I made him play the light pieces, because the light pieces always make the first move.

A statement on how scared I really am for all the bravado I put on...I am not saying that it is all bravado. I will fight my own battles and I will do what needs to be done, but when it comes to Grim I am not better than a scared child hiding behind it's mother's skirt. Not that my mother ever wore skirts, or that I ever hid behind them.

They mentioned once—when Billy and I battled for Grim—that they were afraid of me...my mother and father.

I closed my fingers around the left bishop and moved it. "I will take my turn when I am good and ready. Do not rush me again." I said in the coldest voice I had. I did not look at him until I was done and even then only glanced up through my bangs and eyelashes. Grim stared at me from across the chess board and nodded once.

"I won't." He answered in a soft voice. I could listen to him speak all day. The sound of his voice, his accent. Everything about it would have sent shivers up my spine if I allowed it to, which I never did. "I thought you might have gotten lost in thought." He told me, as thought that made it all okay.

"No excuse. If I wish to take all day thinking about my move, I will. Got it?" He nodded again and his fingers—bones—danced across the board. I wondered if he even knew he was doing it. Waggling his fingers while he thought about his next move. I instead reached into the bowl of fruit sitting on the edge of the table and plucked out the first thing I came in contact with. A pear.

I almost laughed. If Grim could not figure why I always made him white he would not understand why eating a pear was so funny.

All the same I took the small knife at my side and cut it in half, offering him half of it. He stared at the offered slice for a moment and then took it delicately. I knew he didn't need to eat, and did it for the pleasure of tasting, but suddenly I wondered where the food he consumed went.

I didn't want to think about it and his knight was getting too close for comfort.

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**For those who wondered--and I really did think about having Mandy think it, but it's easier to just explain. Pears are considered--symbolicly--to be a symbol of love, or of lust. Sometimes considered an Aphrodisiac it's more accurately considered to induce lust almost instantly upon being consumed. It also has a more cultural meaning in Chinese, which will come into play later, so if you find it and want to know if you've the right thing, rather Im me or email or whatever, I don't want to spoil it for anyone, hence not saying it here (And at the end of the story I will explain it so if you don't get it you will! )**

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo: **Yay, glad you think so. I really do try hard, but this is such a great couple and there is so much out there to use with the idea of Death and a Maiden as it were falling in love I am REALLY trying hard to do the genre justic.

**Lily of the Shadow: **I'm glad you think I could do that just naturally, but I did try rather hard. I may not like the class, but students in my Creative Writing class seem to think my characters all have the same voice, so I tried to make that difference here, in this story to test it (because you all are much nicer than they are and I hoped if I didn't do it well you would be more keen to help me improve.) and writing them differntly. So if you notice me slipping, please feel free to point it out. That I not only managed to make them sound differently but that it seemed natural really cheers me up. So thanks very much.

**Atrophy-Conception: **I'm glad that you're not only excited about my story updating (hope this brings just as much excitment) but that I have the honor of being one of the few stories that you're excited to see update. It makes MY day to hear from you, especially when you have good things to say! I will take my time, but I'm as excited about updates as you are, though for me it's "Ooh what great reviews will I get this time?"

**and FOREVER: **Well, reading any of my other stories, I'm an ABSOLUTE SUCKER for happy endings, so not to spoil anything but OF COURSE they will. I think I'd probably cry harder than any of my readers if they didn't. But that's not to say I won't make it hard for them to get together in the end. (Evil grin inserted here.)

**Fireblade Quickclaw: **Heh! I'm glad you like it so very much, and well, here's your update, hope it meets your standards!

**Soldier of Darkness: **It's okay, I was just worried that I had done something wrong which earned it. This site is pretty evil about typing in links, otherwise I think I'd have gobs of them at the ends of certain chapters, letting you read where I'm getting this information rather than having to explain it all...Anyway, yeah, the pomagranates and all sorts of other things will come into play. I feel a bit pretentious using all these metaphores and symbols and stuff, but when you do a story with Death and the Maiden it's rather necessary, it's--as I mentioned--almost a genre onto itself and it deserves all sorts of great twists and turns. I just hope I can do it justice.

**Kyo-kun AND Hatsuharu are hot: **You win the honor of being the reviewer with THE LONGEST NAME. So this chapter is dedicated to you. Yay! Here's another chapter and I hope it was worth the wait.

**neodanmatter: **very true about the fruit. I'm trying to keep it as a reccuring theme. But as to the switching POVs, that's actually homage to my favorite Death And The Maiden poem. Which alternates between Death and the Maiden (since fanfiction won't let me post links I can't give you the link to it, but if you want it you can feel free to email me or IM me or whatever. I used a quote at the very start of this chapter, so if you put that in GOOGLE it should give you the poem I took it from...) so...that's why I plan to do one chapter for mandy then grim then mandy...and so on. Hopefully. Switching their POVs is sort of difficult because as similar as they are, they're rather different too...arg..I ramble, sorry. Glad you liked it. Hope it continues to please.


	4. Death Speaks 2

**Honestly, I own less than nothing. And again, court is not so interesting that I want to be there.**

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**"_Though thy vain heart to riches is inclined yet thou must die and leave hem all behind. I come to none before their warrant's sealed, and, when it is, they must submit, and yield."_**

Mandy was distracted more often than not lately. Which made her quicker to anger if anyone tried to draw her out of it. Saliva sat at her side now, even though she'd recently yelled at him for living up to his name on her foot. His time—as Mr. Snuggles' had before—come and gone. Unlike with Snuggles I made no attempt to collect Saliva.

What was a slobbering dog between...

Whatever Mandy and I are...

Mistress and pet I suppose. That fits well enough, the only one more loyal to Mandy despite the abuse she deals out is Saliva.

How have I come so far? One era I was Death incarnate. I ruled the Underworld. You might have been a king or a little street sweeper, but sooner or later you'd dance with the reaper. (1) I was Terrible and Fearsome and worshiped.

Then I met two small children. _Children._

One of whom swore that she never lost. I wished that I had known she meant it, she not only won, but kept me under her thumb. Made me...

What?

Respect her?

Care for her?

Love her?

Watch her dice a pear--symbol of lust and sexuality--with utter precision...At least it was not another dripping, juicy pomagranate...

I blinked with eyes I did not have and shook my head. Her Knight was closing in, but I had my Rook there for a reason.

Her mouth twitched, almost a smile and then a more pensive look. I had long ago memorized those lips. These games of chess were the only time we were on equal ground. I could make advances, I could be bold. We were always the same colors, each of us. She always took the dark. There was no contest anymore. She was always dark and I was always light.

I wondered if she noticed that I protected my Queen, with almost as much relish as I protected my King.

I lost most of the time because I spent my time watching her rather than watching her pieces. She had a habit of chewing on her lower lip. Under the table her legs would cross and uncross. Sometimes her foot tapped against the table leg.

Her mouth was wonderful but it was her neck that I loved most. She would always stretch it out as she played, and rest her chin on her hand. Her hair was still short so it would fall away and reveal that long neck.

It made me wish I had lips.

She sliced the pear in half and held it out to me. I stared at her fingers for a moment, they glimmered slightly with the juice from the pear. I took it from her and ate it trying to pull my mind away from those thoughts.

I could love her in my private thoughts when I was in my dog bed at Billy's. Loving her here, in the light, when she was facing me with those dark eyes...it was dangerous. Dangerous to my heart, or what was left of it.

It seemed as though I had loved her for an eternity, even before I knew her. Even when I hated her I loved her. Even when I despised her I loved her. Even when I wanted nothing more than to reap her soul and be sure I never had to see her again I loved her. And especially when we played Chess I loved her.

Still, to be around her and thinking of how I loved her, it was dangerous. I would not pay attention, I would forget myself. I would touch and linger. I would strive to feel her skin even though I couldn't. I knew she would mock me at best if she knew where my affections lay.

Use it to her advantage seemed more likely. Either way it was not what I wanted. I wanted...I wanted her by my side. Whatever that meant. I loved her. It was simple though painful to admit, and I would be happy just like this forever. Billy watching the television—which was not on—her opposite me, a chessboard slung between us, while our pieces danced about each other.

This could be my paradise for all I cared. I was happy for all my complaining.

I could do without the chores and being buried in the backyard, but I could look at Mandy. Watch her move and listen to her speak. I liked being near her. Even if I had to put up with her hating me, and even if I had to put up with Billy. I would. I would for ever.

I had all the time in the world to come to terms with these emotions. Mandy moved her Bishop and I sighed heavily. Holding breath I didn't need.

"Checkmate." She said, with as close to a smile as she shared with us. I nodded, and force of habit caused me to reach out and knock over my King. A sign of submission. True in more ways than a game of Chess.

I hoped Many realized I would do anything for her, and most of it I would do even if I were not her slave.

I still hate cleaning toilets. I always will.

I accept that nothing will come of us, and I think that's why it's so easy to keep quite about how I feel. Even with the knowledge that if she knew nothing good could come of it.

Mandy is a mortal. She needs someone who can offer warmth. Kisses. Children. Though I shudder to think of Mandy as a mother. She deserves the chance to have children though. She's surprised me before. Besides. Mortals, humans really, seem to place the act of _making _children up with the emotions of Love.

I have never understood that. I realize it's pleasurable but it is so odd that they seem to look at it as a show of love. It's propagation of their species. If none of them loved each other it would not matter they would have to perform their act if they wanted to continue their species. I don't know how they seem to have connected it to emotions. Though I suppose it is an intimate act and trust should be a necessary part of it.

Of course, most of what mortals do and think confuses me.

Mandy is still a mortal though, for all the evil she exudes and the power she seems to hold over any being we come into contact with. If she views it that way she views it that way and for that she would need a mortal man.

I have all the power of Death, I cannot make life.

I cannot make life and love is a part of life so I suppose it stands to reason that I will never have that either. I would never want it from anyone but the dark, brooding woman currently gloating over the chessboard like a Lioness gloating over a fresh kill.

I did rule the Underworld and can only assume that I will return to that when these two pass on into the Otherworld. Should I take a Queen, I would have to take one who could handle the responsibility of being the ruler of the Underworld. She would be menacing and imposing...able to strike fear into the hearts of her subjects.

I do not think any woman in any time every will be as menacing, imposing and down right frightening as Mandy.

"Grim." I looked up at the sound of my name. There was nothing special about the way she said it, and yet I found myself wishing I had a heart, just so it could beat faster when she called me. "Set it up again." She was staring at Billy with that look that seemed to wonder how she'd gotten stuck with the one person in the world, in all the worlds, who could snort a Sassy Cat doll up his nose, which was his current goal.

I sighed and leaned forward in my seat, resetting the pieces carefully. Sometimes she would lean back in her chair, propping her legs up on the table and she would dictate her moves to me. It was time spent with her when I was not being humiliated. I treasured it for that.

I treasured that she still came to spend time with Billy and I at all. She still treated me as her possession almost exclusively, but they were children no longer. Sometimes she would sit while I watched my Soaps and read. Read all day and ignore the both of us.

I wondered if this was because she got lonely, or maybe she wanted to be around someone, anyone, or maybe...maybe because she cared. Just to be close to us. Me. Ridiculous thoughts for the Grim Reaper.

The world...All the worlds would laugh if they knew I turned to mush around a mortal girl who cared nothing for me.

Mush I was, and mush I would be for all time, whether she wanted me or no. I just dreaded the day when she found someone she was not afraid to love.

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1) yes, it may be from Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, but that is one kick ass movie and no amount of pretension I may exhibit will ever change that.

**Fireblade Quickclaw: **Do not think all chapters will come this fast. This was a fluke because I was avoiding work and had insperation for this story rather than any others. But I hope you enjoy it all the same, and of course I put your name in, when I see in stories that an author has taken the time to answer to my review it makes me want to review again. Plus, as stalker-like as I may seem, you guys are all awesome. I want to meet the people who take the time to read my story through all the chapters. So I figure I should encourage you any way I know how.

**and FOREVER: **Yup. Blame it on Hollywood but I am so addicted to "Happily Ever After" I could never end a story any other way. Which I suppose I've now spoiled the ending for all my readers of any of my stories ever, but hey I'm a huge fan of those arty movies and with those the middle is the important bit anyway, creating loose ends and then tying them all up...heh. Trust me I am just as addicted to twists and turns as I am to happy endings so hopefully knowing that it will end well won't spoil too much. Though, my friend Jason would say otherwise. Anything said in relation to what might be considered an ending spoils it in his mind. A fact I tease him for relentlessly. But I digress.

**Soldier of Darkness: **I'm glad you think so, and I hope to continue to do it Justice. Do feel free to point out if I start to lack! Nicely though. I may like the comments and suggestions, but I still do have trouble listening. Hey I admit my faults.

**Atrophy-Conception: **I love hearing from you especially because you always say such perfectly nice things about my story. With reviewers like you how could writing get old? Though I do know what you mean. I'm shit with middles and if I could just write a beginning and end to my stories I think I would enjoy it a lot more. But the middles are pretty important and I think people would get angry with me if I just started dropping them. I am no ee cummings, I cannot make up my own rules...yet. Mwa ha ha...

**avivagirl: **I think I may have squealed when I read your review. You're much too kind to me and soon my big inflated ego won't fit in my car and I'll never get to class. Which I'm not so sure would be a bad thing...heh.

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo**:Heh. Kind enough to share Bleedman's lovely comic with me and if Fanfiction wasn't so AWFUL about links I'd share it with all of you. But if you know deviantart you can look up "Bleedman" there and he's this awesome Grim/Mandy Comic. And a nice Dexter/Blossom one if you can believe it. I highly recommend it and if you can't find it feel free to email me or IM me or whatever is easiest and I will provide you with the link.


	5. The Lady's Journey

**Quick note of...warning I suppose. Not really. As stories tend to do, the characters have run away from me. I originally intended to do something with Nergal or something. But instead now I have what happens here in this chapter for you. Well, I've included some new poems and weird symbols this way. Either way, I just wanted you to know...you know...that at this point I'm sort of discovering what's happening along with you, because I certainly never saw this coming. And unfortunately I've become one of those stories that you can learn things from.**

** Sorry.**

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_And what of eternal Girl, herself? Does she long for Hades' dark bed, his sensual touch, the brutish power of his maleness or does she simply miss their shared place in the Underworld, where beauty only exists because of her? Persephone's Gift _by _Hugh Cobb_

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For so long Grim had been a part of my life. Of mine and Billy's world. It was a given, I never looked into the rules as it were. I never wondered about any of it. Grim said _if we could beat him_ and he dared mock me with his offered friendship should I be able to, of course I had to win, and when I won it was him I wanted more than Mr. Snuggles. Because he had mocked me and now he would pay. Only in later years would it come that I really did _want _him.

Like the poem says: _Does Persephone wear a locket with Hades' image within its gilded case, his dark eyes burning for her alone? (1)_I would love him, and I think that is the difference. Persephone was beautiful and loved by all. I loved him alone and—as often pointed out—not very pretty at all. He needed a _true _Persephone. And never in all my searching have I found the original recordings of what her feelings were about her marriage.

It was raining that day.

Billy was running around, literally bouncing off the walls with his apparent boredom, not that he would have wanted to play outside if he had the chance.

I was reading, Grim was polishing his scythe.

I was reading the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice(2)

The rain and wind were getting worse though there was no thunder nor lightning so I supposed it couldn't be considered a storm. Maybe a storm would have been too trite for what They had in mind.

You're asking who They are, but I'm getting to that, be patient.

"When do you think he's going to realize the television is off?" Grim asked, suddenly closer than I had realized. I think that should there have been breath in him—should he have had _lungs—_that I would have felt his breath ruffle my hair.

Either way he had enough of an effect on me and I scooted away, shooting him a glare before speaking. "The real question is why are there commercials if it's all in his head."

Grim shrugged in that way he had I looked back to my book and realized finally that I had re-read the same passage for the fourth time now. Beside me the very air seemed to ripple and suddenly I gagged with the scent of sulfur. Even Billy noticed, though he seemed to think it had come from him. I slammed one hand over my nose and mouth and looked to Grim, only to see empty space, flames, and a tall man with sloping shoulders and a robe reminiscent of monks.

"Who are you?" I asked, setting my book aside and standing. The air around him seemed to hum with power.

"Phegyas." He said simply. If I had not been majoring in literature I would not have known him. "You won't know me."

"I do. You're the other ferryman. Charon has the Acheron river, not the Styx as everyone assumes. Of course, that's probably because people barely remember that there are five rivers. I've heard you either guard the Styx or the Phlegethon." His face lit up when I spoke.

"It is the Styx I guard. But I take the Phlegethon on alternating Tuesdays."

"Where's Grim?" I asked.

"Oh. I took him home. But I could stay and talk a little. I've not met anyone who knows me in a very long time." He reminded me suddenly of Irwin.

"Why did you take him? He's ours." I announced, folding my arms across my chest in a way that scared even Sperg at times.

"Yeah! He's a-pposed to be _our _bestest best friend _FOREVER!" _Billy shouted, standing beside—or really behind—me.

"Friend? Oh. Right. Yeah well he can be your friend and still not be around. I haven't seen him in eons but _we're _still friends." I doubted that but he did bring up a good point.

"Well I want him back." I was on the offensive now.

"Uhm...No? No. I don't...I don't think it works like that. Nyx says he has to go rule and he's dallied here too long." The words sounded like an attempt at a direct quote. "She says he has to choose a queen too. One of her daughters I should think, but don't tell her I said that." He suddenly looked around as though he thought the Goddess of the Night really was going to appear and have heard him.

I fancied she'd sent him because he was an easy servant, which meant she was too important to come to this place, but no need to tell him that.

"Well, then I'll go get him myself." I started into the portal behind him but he stopped me.

"She'll be _mad_." He whispered.

"I never lose. I will not lose Grim to some preening deity too busy to come take him herself." I did not mention how unhappy I was at the idea of Grim being married just so someone could gain more power—being married at all—but I think I conveyed well enough that I was here and mad and he should worry more about me than Nyx. He took three steps backwards.

"If I take you to the entrance she won't notice you've not just died naturally. I think you could make your own way down. If you know me you could handle yourself. No one knows me." The element of surprise was worth something, so I did not press the matter.

"Do it." I said, and Billy jumped up and down beside me.

"I don't think my mom wants me going to...where are we going?" He chattered. I took him by the shoulders and pushed him off of me.

"I'm going to go get Grim back. You stay here...I wouldn't want you to miss Sassy Cat." His eyes lit up and he lunged at the television.

"_Sassy Cat!" _I looked back to Phegyas.

"Take me as far as you can." He nodded and took my hand, his flesh so cold it burn. I hissed in pain and when he let go I stumbled backwards, landing hard among dust and rocks. He looked about and then pointed.

"There's the entrance. I better get back before anyone wonders where I am." He chattered, vanishing in another puff of sulfur and flames. I stood and dusted myself off slowly.

I was going to get Grim back, and I supposed it would have been smarter to have gotten someone like Hoss to help, but he was still in the Puppet dimension anyway.

It became suddenly clear just how few people I trusted to let into my life, and now some prissy Goddess thought she could take Grim away from me.

It wasn't jealousy that made me angry, not at all, but...well maybe a little.

I wondered for all the Gods and Goddesses we had met, Eris and Adonis certainly, why then was Persephone not real?

That small rebellious part of me wondered that maybe I could still be his Persephone, but I silenced it as I always did. I might not even be able to find him—well I _never lose—_so what matter was it if he could ever love me back, it was a moot point.

I found the entrance, surrounded by pink begonias(3), and just as Dante predicted...

Well I was here...who was to say if Dante _didn't _go through a guided tour of the other worlds?

Either way, carved in stone there were those famous words staring back at me.

"Through me the way into the suffering city, through me the way to the eternal pain, through me the way that runs among the lost. Justice urged on my high artificer; my maker was divine authority, the highest wisdom, and the primal love. Before me nothing but eternal things were made, and I endure eternally.

"Abandon every hope, ye who enter here." (4)

I looked at the sign and swallowed hard. "I abandoned hope a long time ago. You'll have to do better than that." And I bent, plucked a begonia carefully and tucked it behind one ear, mocking those who would turn me away, and walked into the darkness.

Grim was mine, even if he didn't know it, and I would be damned if I was going to let someone else have him before I was good and read to let him go.

Of course, as I walked through the pitch and the dark I realized how true that statement was in a way I had never anticipated.

Never meant. I never meant for any of this to happen. I had never anticipated any of it.

I never dreamed of a time when Grim would not be in my life and to try and get him back was horrid of me. What if he was happy there? What if he wanted to marry one of those women.

_Grim is mine. He will never love me and I will not let him go before I am ready._

I set my jaw and felt my nostrils flair. They would not take him from me.

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(1) Also from Huge Cobbs' poem. As usual if I can inspire someone to look for it...w00t...if you can't find it AIM works or Yahoo IM or email, or that nifty private message thing on Fanfiction. He's got two others about Persephone as well and I hope to use those.

(2) Orpheus and Eurydice: One of MY favorite myths. I've heard it different ways but in the end it's the story of a man (Orpheus) who loves a woman (Eurydice). Eurydice steps on a snake and it bites her and she dies. Orpheus goes to Hades and Persephone and sings and plays his lute (or I've heard lyre too) and he does this so beautifully that they say he may have his love back. He is to walk back to the surface world and Eurydice will follow, but if he turns around before he's left Hades he can never have her back. In the way of Greek Myths he turns around right before exiting, literally about two steps shy of the entrance just in time to see her carried off back into the depths of Hades. He tries to get her back again but it doesn't work.

(3)Begonias are often thought to symbolize a warning.

(4)From Dante's Divine Comedy. Also the welcome mate outside my house. But I don't think that means I have any rights to the quote.

**and FOREVER: **I'm glad you like my details. I love adding little things to my story, and sometimes I may have the bad habit of adding too many, but hey so far that doesn't seem to be the case with this story. Yay!Anyway, the next week is going to be really awful work wise for me so I figured I'd update this and all my lovely reviews could brighten my probably shitty week to come. (hint hint).

**Atrophy-Conception: **Well I certainly hope this chapter finds you in better straights. Though I must say I am so thrilled my story ranked above food and a shower--two of MY favorite things--in your mind. Made my day! How could I not enjoy your reviews. "lovely as always"? "Beautiful way with words"? It makes me want to keep you in my back pocket to cheer me up whenever I need it.

**FurubafmaNarutoHngfan: **Well, not really soon, but here, it's a new chapter. Hope you enjoy.

**Neodanmatter: **I really hope you do. Obviously I enjoy it.


	6. Death's Dinner

**Still own less than nothing. Though I bought a plate set that actually like goes with my style and kitchen and stuff so I own that. Rock on.**

**Random comment: Exams are almost over. I have one on monday (and my portfolio is due for my Creative Writing class then) and then on Wednesday I have two. That means my summer break is almost here since I've opted not to take summer courses. Too expensive.**

** However I'm trying to make my house MINE. So I'm doing a lot of painting and trying to afford furniture and new appliances (since my washing machine is seriously the anti-christ. I hate it.) which takes time and money. I always write at least once a day, but sadly I have been inspired by this story for one about Persephone and Hades relationship as it is...not related to Fanfiction at all. So I can't promise that I will update any quicker just because I don't have class. **

**I won't abandon this story though, I love it and all my kind reviewers so no worries there. Just thought I should warn you. **

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"_Be to her, Persephone, all the things I might not be: take her head upon your knee. She that was so proud and wild, flippant arrogant and free, she that had no need of me, is a little lonely child Lost in Hell,--Persephone, take her head upon your knee: say to her, "My dear, my dear, it is not so dreadful here." _**Prayer to Persephone ---by---Edna St. Vincent Millay**

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He knew this world well. A world of Stone and Shadow and Fire. A world he had been born into. A world he was meant to rule and a world he was condemned to no matter his wishes. A slave to his crown.

His sun, though to call Mandy "sun" was laughable, was above and forever lost to him. Athena had finally come forward and said that friend did not mean slave, and he was fetched right away and dragged back to rule the whole of the realm.

They also expected him to take a Queen. Eris was certainly more that perturbed that her mother—the feared Goddess of Night—was trying to push her on "A loser" like Grim. But she was in enough trouble with her father and Nyx had other daughters. Seven of whom were Nymphs, bustling giggling things who would wither in the dark of Grim's Realm.

Nyx wanted a daughter beside Grim so she could have even more power. Ker was obviously in the running. The Goddess of Violent Death.

It is a misconception to think there is one kind of figure for Death when there are so many kinds of Death.

Ker sat to his left at the elegant table. They were having a party, of grim sorts, to welcome their king back to his realm. Unlike Grim—they called him Hades here in this realm, though mortals above no longer knew him by that name—she kept her flesh, her look of Mortality.

Her skin was pale, and not attractively so...it was pallid as the flesh of one who is deathly ill. Her hair hung in lank strands around her face, as dark as her flesh was light. Clothing—no matter what she wore—hung off her, revealing ribs and sagging flesh. Her eyes held that manic glitter found in the eyes of murderers. She sat beside him and her fingers, long and knobby, skittered over the table, touching a fork, a spoon, her knife, then starting their dance again.(1)

The Fates were not an option, and never had been. The three of them lived in their world with their loom and their thread and nothing else.

Nemesis sat across from him. Her gaze somewhere far away, a small smile hidden in the corner of her mouth. Her mother would push her at Grim, but both deities knew she would not have it.

Nemesis was many things, a dealer of justice. A Fate in her own right. She was neither good nor evil, she simply dealt people what they were due, and whether they were due good or bad was her judgment. Men often thought of her an avenger, or so closely tied to her sister Ker. All the same they looked nothing alike. Nemesis had long since cut her moonshine hair short. She wore pants and a shirt, looking more like a man with her small frame. It was just as well. She was neither. Though a female she was not good nor bad; neither just nor unjust.

She was.

She had no pretenses about what she did, she knew it was cruel and that it was rare that anyone deserved their fate. But she never regretted what she did. She never showed remorse. She rarely smiled. In fact Grim had never seen her smile, and this small twist of her lips that she bore tonight was the closest she had ever come to a smile.

She reminded him of Mandy at times.

Though dead and though lacking in organs he still felt his heart twist in his chest when he saw her. The only difference was in her pale and sightless eyes.(1 again) She did not need her eyes to see into the hearts of men.

Apate chattered away to his other side. Still bemoaning having been locked away within the famous box awarded to Pandora. She was always hunched over something and her fingers were too long for her hands. Her eyes had a habit of being too large for her face while her mouth always hung open.

Her voice was by far the worst of her. As the embodiment(2) of deception most of what she said were at least exaggerations, but in general. It sounded much like bones scraping against rock, and always sent unpleasant shivers through Grim. Had he flesh it would have been crawling.

Philotes, like the Nymphs was not even at the table. She was the goddess of affection and she would not do well as the Queen of the Underworld. Power aside Nyx knew that should the Queen not fit she would not stay, and as mentioned before, she always had more daughters.

It was a shame that she was not here. Like Nemesis Grim did not mind her, like her well enough even.

Though when he looked at her he was not reminded of a mortal out of his life forever. The loss of whom he should be celebrating rather than mourning.

Nyx had invited her sons (3) so as not to seem like she were fishing for Grim's attention, but they were all gathered at the far end of the table.

Surrounded by deities and Nyx and power and death once more and all he could think of was a blond mortal a lifetime away.

He wondered if she missed him.

He wondered what she had done to poor Phelgethon and if Billy knew he was missing.

He wondered if Mandy would care that he was gone or if she would take it to the Courts again.

It would not help but he did wonder, he couldn't help but wonder.

Wonder and push at his uneaten meal with a fork. Miserable though the time had been he would miss both those two, who had—as children—enslaved him. He would miss them because Billy had become a friend in those ten years and Mandy...

...had become so much more.

She was...She was everything he wanted out of his afterlife. She had tortured him it was true and she had humiliated him it was true, but she had helped him and she had saved him and she did make him laugh and let him experience life. There were times she had made him smile. HE was able to, at times convince himself that maybe she cared—just a little—about him.

Thoughts like that were certainly no help though and served only to make his heart twist in that painful manner again. But whatever thoughts he tried to fill his head with instead they inveribly settled onto the subject of Mandy.

It was maddening and lovely all at once.

He missed Billy less though. After all it was difficult to miss someone who barely remembered you. By far Billy had been the worse of the two. Mandy at least knew what she was doing to Grim. She knew and she dared him to defy her. Billy just wanted and wanted and expected everyone to do as he wanted because he knew no other way.

His malice was born of stupidity. Somehow that made it less tolerable.

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1) (both of them) Okay the goddesses I have listed here: that is what they are and who they are and what they stand for (as documented at the sites and books I have, I can't read ancient greek so I don't know for sure. Heh.) Their looks are totally mine though. I just...saw them like that. Also with Nemesis being blind. I made that up. It's part to deal with Cassandra being blind and seeing more than everyone else anyway and the idea that your eyes can lie so to see the truth and all that. It seemed to fit in general. Either way that's that. I made all that up. 

2)Embodiment vs. Goddess: Okay there are Gods and Goddesses in Greek myths but there are also Embodiments. These are...still people but rather than being deities they are just...that thing. A bit like a nymph or a muse...not a god but decently close and still higher than mortals. I honestly have looked but not found any reason why some things are Gods and some things are Embodiments. If you found it or have a thought feel free to share with me I would love to know.

3) She had less sons than daughters but she did have sons. Though I do apologize, anyone who has studied myths knows that there are at least three versions of each and so it can get confusing. So for now her sons are remaining nameless because the only one I want to deal with--I'm taking his birth and such from a different myth and while I know inscest was popular among the Gods if I left him her son that would just get confusing and vile...so just know she birthed a couple boys in there but they're not important to the story.

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**Yin.Yang.Sisters: **I got my welcome mat from a magazine...I don't know which one but I could find it I'm sure. It was actually a gift from some of my high school friends when I moved into my first house. They all chipped in since it was really UNGODLY expensive at about $40. But I do like it and I get a lot of comments--or at least strange looks--so that's fun. I'm glad to hear you like my story and you don't have to comment often, though I do love reviews, the important thing is really just that you enjoy my story. 

**Atrophy-Conception: **You've started something by not being afraid of learning. I don't want this to become "How many gods and goddesses can I list" but it's important to give you a certain idea of what's going on in the story and I think, especially with these sorts of characters, they add something to the setting. Either way I am glad you're still delighted and I suppose you wouldn't want to be in my pocket anyway, I tend to be a packrat so my pockets must be pretty gross if you have to live there. Maybe my closet then? I am glad that you (and supposedly most who reviewed) didn't mind the way the first four chapters had NOTHING happening really, but it sort of set the story, which I felt really necessary since I've skipped about ten years from where the Cartoon is at, and also because these are really deep characters I'm playing with here. Either way I'm glad and we are into the action bit now, so yay for that.

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo**: Yay I'm glad you can't wait, I always hope to keep people guessing and--dare I say--excited about what's going to happen.

**and FOREVER: **I know what you mean about not enough detail. And I'm glad you like detail because I certainly do. It does take a lot of detail to be too much, but once you have too much it's hard for your readers to trust you again, that's at least what I find when I'm reading.

**fireblade Quickclaw:** I always prefer longer reviews but I do think yours is officially one of my favorites. Simplistic but it left me smiling for days.

**Hells Agent**: Oh no! Am I going to have to put disclaimers up? heh. I'm glad you like it so much and I hope you continue to like it so much and thanks for putting it on your favorites! That always makes my day better!

**Furubafmanarutohngfan:** I hope it stays good now! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

**Purple-Rosie: **I dunno, so many people see her as the Lawyer type, but I know a lot of lawyers and I'm thinking about law school and they don't strike me to be like Mandy, so I thought maybe I'd try taking her in a different direction, so I'm glad you like what I've done with her instead. I love the idea of "saving" your english report and hey I'm always up for teaching people. I can't seem to learn what I'm meant to so I figure I should pass on as much of my utterly useless knowledge as much as I can.

**Lily of the Shadow: **Firstly I love how I put things in my story, read how you read them and go, "Holy shit it's true!" My characters do have a habit of getting away with me so it's always fun to get to look at my story through other people's eyes and your reviews always help with that. So thanks just for that.

I loved the way you describe maybe it's a little of both for Grim, because I imagine it is both. He wants it to be that she knows the symbolism, but he's almost afraid to hope, which in itself is awesome when you think of Death hoping for anything. Heh your reveiw of chapter five (it was awesome I got all three of your latest reviews at once and THAT made me really happy.) the first bit about my plot was an excellent joke and I was laughing so hard I almost forgot to read the rest of your very kind review. Heh. It still makes me giggle, because it is true and I was thinking it myself. As to your points, I can't really say without spoiling it, so I think I'll just smile knowingly and let you find out as I have time to write eh?

As to your comment about the mythology, I hope you're still interested since it plays an even larger part in the upcoming chapters (and also a bit of Dante will find it's way in because I love Dante. If he were still alive I would stalk him.) so...yeah...heh actually I love Mythology and I've never really gotten to do anything with it other than just enjoy it so writing about it makes me love it even more and brings up a whole other obsession. And hey I love that you review at all. I make you guys wait for chapters so I suppose it's only fair that I should wait on reviews.

**Kyo-kun and Hatsuharu are hot: **Hey I don't mind, I'm just glad you enjoy it. I'm also glad you think so highly of my work it makes me smile. I certainly enjoy it but I wrote it so I should hope I enjoy it.


	7. The Lady Journies

**Still own nothing. I really want to hear what you think of this chapter because I'm going back and forth on if I should show Mandy in each level of hell or just pick a few or what, so please please tell me exactly what you think I really want to know. **

**Dedicated to Atrophy-Conception yay for finally updating!   
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Charon ushered me across the River Acheron—wide and deep with that soft smell of loam that some rivers get in summer. Others were gathered around me, whispering to themselves softly. I would leave them behind as I moved deeper into Hell.

I never lost.

Dew covered everything and before passing the Seven-Walled Castle and moving from Limbo into Hell itself I was soaked to the bone with that cold wet that makes you shiver no matter the warmth. I felt slimy almost and rubbed at my arms to no avail.

There was no barrier or any outward change to signal that I had moved beyond Limbo.

One moment things were calm and soft and quiet, and only a little damp.

The next moment I was caught in a gale.

The begonia in my hair was torn to shreds and vanished in the storm.

The world was as dark as pitch and the wind screamed. The world was howling and wailing and the pure noise of it rattled my bones. I huddled against myself and continued moving. I would not let some _storm _keep me from my goal.

People were tossed about like dolls and still I managed to keep my footing. I was small against a large storm and I continued walking. I would not lose myself especially in a realm of people who sought only the flesh and nothing else.

I was above these people, I did not belong here. I may belong in hell but I was better than those who resided here. I trudged along, bracing myself with each gust that met me, using the wind to propel me faster through this realm.

I met no people—or wraiths—here but I knew well enough from Dante that here were people like Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, and anyone who lived for pleasure only.

Hedonistic fools all of them.

I may be doomed to this place, but I was wrath, I was violence, I was not lust, and I would not be lost here in this place, now or ever.

That—another sin—pride kept me going though things were difficult. I will not deny that the going was hard. I do not lose but things can be a challenge.

"He is safer than you." Soft as a whisper but still the voice rose above the storm and nearly deafened me with it's power. "That does not give you right to dawdle." I spun but could not see anyone around me who would speak.

When I turned back, ready to face the rest of this realm, a woman stood before me.

She was tall, but not overly tall. Her hair was pale and it fluttered lightly—though it certainly didn't move about as much as it should given the storm still screaming around us.

Her eyes were large and sad, but what truly struck me was that one eye was brown and one was blue. It was odd but I supposed that there were more important things I should be considering at the moment. She also put off a dull light, which in the darkness of this place was everything.

She had power, more than I did, that much was for certain.

"Who are you?" I was more angry than scared, though it worried me that she was strong enough to be free of the power in this place. The myths only account for so much, I had no right to be here, I had no rights to Grim. Not really.

If someone with power found me I was not so foolish as to think that I could fight them. I would not give up, but they could expel me from this place.

"No one." She whispered in that way she had that drown out the noise of the storm. "I was once called Dione, a very long time ago(1). But my name has long since been lost to your kind."

She said "your kind" as though I was some rodent, a pest that was so beneath her...I bristled.

"Well than you can't be too powerful." I announced, pushing her out of my way.

Or at the very least I tried to, my hands just went through her. I would not let her know how much it rattled me though, so I just continued on, I would not lose.

If she hadn't enough power to still be known that I would not let her best me.

If I could help it none of them would best me.

"I am not here to hinder your quest little one." She murmured, walking along right beside me.

"Good. So just go away then." I growled low in my throat and tried not to look at her. There was someone off about her, something that made my hair stand on end and my blood run cold.

She shouldn't have power if no one knew her, but you could feel her power in the air around her. I could even feel it given all the power around me in this hellish place.

Pardon the pun.

She touched me and it sent a chill up my spine. She was powerful enough that she could touch me, as though she were as real as I was.

She looked at me with those two-tone eyes and I tried to shake her off me. I could not be bested and part of that was because I knew which battles were worth fighting and which were worth avoiding. My pride in myself is not without foundation.

"Mandy, he needs you more than you realize." Dione whispered.

"Who needs me? Grim? Like I'm going to believe a word you say! For all I know you're not even Dione, you're just trying to trick me as your kind are so wont(2) to do. So really I figure it is much more intelligent to just ignore you despite what help you purport to offer." I hissed, speeding up my walk.

Suddenly the wind seemed like the least of my worries.

The wind died and I looked about wondering if maybe I had finally moved on to the next level. There was no rain, no mud, and no Cerberus so I was still in the second level. And this woman could manipulate the very fabric of the underworld. That seemed like far more power than she should be able to have.

"Thank you but I will save him on my own." Tone of voice belied any actual thanks I held for her. Which, in reality, was none.

"You cannot do so much on your own little one. You need me more than you realize." She looked so very sad.

"Look lady, I don't care who you are! I will save him, I will save him on my own, I don't _need _help! Now just leave me alone and let me be on my way!" She faded and took her light with her, however my nerves still hummed like a string pulled too tight.

She had been the most powerful thing I had ever faced in all my time of holding the Grim Reaper as my pet.

She was more powerful even than Grim, or Nergal, and that really did cause worry, not that I would allow anyone to know just how worried I was. I knew that most of my strength came from bluffing, being stubborn and not admitting if I was afraid.

I bluffed, pretended as though I had more power than I did and at times people believed me and it worked to my advantage.

But she...Dione.

She could see the truth and I knew it. She could see that I was just a normal woman, and maybe she could see that I cared for Grim more than a pet.

She could use that against me and just that alone sent a lance of fear through my heart.

It also made me worried that she hadn't stopped me.

Gods were famous for using humans as pawns in their own games with each other. Even if she really would help me it was probably not out of the kindness of her heart and that left her to the advantage. She knew why I wanted to save Grim, but I did not know why she wanted to help me.

My train of thought was lost though as I felt that familiar tug of the realms changing and while the wind was gone, rain—cold and hard—was here.

And somewhere in the distance I heard the sound of a dog howling.

I was in Level three, where the Gluttons met with their eternal end.

It was not Cerberus that I feared now though. No, that honor rested with a wraith of a woman named Dione.

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1--Dione is refered to in myth as "The Goddess" nothing else. And I am going to have so much fun with that. Though some historieans feel this means she is the female form of Zeus I am taking it a different way so just hang on to that and enjoy (Hopefully.) 

2--I wanted to draw attention to this because...I'm honestly not sure if this is the American way (rather than say the british) of spelling this word, but it's the only way I've ever seen it. "wont" means most basically "prone" or "most likely." So yeah...I just wanted to apologize if it is wrong, but I dunno I still get confused if the American way is grey or gray. I honestly don't know anymore...So I didn't want you to think I was pretentious or anything.

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** Chaotic Pink Chocobo: **I'm glad that at least you wait eagerly and keep guessing. It makes me really happy to hear that. I'll try to keep leaving you so excited for each chapter to come. 

**Yin.Yang.Sisters: **Well thanks very much. I'm always very glad to hear from you. And yes, really scary how expensive it was. It was a housewarming gift or I never would have gotten it. Most of the poems I list who the author was and I'm actually really horrified if I didn't...Uh, do find the poem you mean and feel free to either leave it in a review or email me privately, I do want to fix that (and yay that you seem to like him enough to look him up, I certainly like them.) I'm glad to hear about your walls! Do they look fabulous? I'm sure they do. I love painting the walls, it's surprising how much it can change a room yeah?

**and FOREVER: **Well firstly I need to say a HUGE thank you. I was so worried as I put that in that it was just too much detail all at once. So I'm glad that you liked it and it makes me so happy to hear from people that they did like it. So thanks so much! I know I took forever getting this chapter up and hopefully it was worth the wait. (the really really long wait! )

**FurubafmaNarutoHngFan: **Thanks, I'm glad you liked the cahpter and I hope you like this one too!

**Meiriona:** Well part of the reason I made Grim both is because I mean in the end technically this is based off the Cartoon. And in the Cartoon he does the actual reaping. However at the same time my plot wouldn't work if he didn't rule the Underworld as well. Besides I'm always worried about having too many characters so it was nice to for once combine two into one. If it really bothers that much I could try to work around it and fix it somehow...what do you think?

**Purple-Rosie: **I actually really like the sort of paradox of Dark Beauty. It really fits with Mandy and Grim and their story you know? You're the first to notice I just sort of ignore Billy. Firstly, he's really difficult to write, just in general. A lot of the stuff he does is visually oriented so while you can write what he says, showing what he does becomes difficult and I'd have like five pages trying to describe something that he did. Another reason is because this is the story of Mandy and Grim and so he doesn't fit (and he would botch things up! ) So yeah, I did just sort of hack him out. Maybe I'll write him back into Valhala (I did so love that episode!). Huggles back

I know! And my dad's lawyer is a fellow Doctor Who fan so how bad can they ever be? Though hey have you seen the previews for that James Woods tv show next season on CBS? Evil Lawyer show, looks half-way good (And I do so love James Woods!) I don't want to suggest it because Lawyer shows are often disappointing, but as I write this reply there's a commercial on for it so I had to bring it up.

**Atrophy-Conception: **A whole chapter just for you! Hope you like it! This story made your day better? I'm impressed and that just makes me so happy to hear! Only really really good stories are supposed to do that so it's a huge compliment! Especially coming from you! I love your story so it's really impressive that you like mine!

I am really glad that you don't feel like I'm lecturing or showing off. Because I am horribly worried about this story turning into that. Since it is very easy for a story like this to become that! I do so love hearing from you mostly because you always have such incredibly NICE things to say for me. I mean there are some really awesome authors on this site and yet you think MY story is one of the best!

**Hells agent: **again someone who thinks that my story is fabulous even compaired to the greatness of some of the stories here! Sorry to hear about your computer, I know the horrors of cracked up computers, trust me!

**Kyo-kun and Hatsuharu are hot: **Hopefully I didn't make you wait too long! And hopefully you still like this chapter even though I made you wait a long time.

**neodanmatter: **Heh. Mythological Matchmaking service. That made me giggle! Glad you liked the chapter and hopefully this keeps up to those standards.

**Lily of the Shadow: **Heh don't worry I can't draw for beans either, I mean I can't even do stick figures. Though if you want to try I think it would be awesome to see someone draw that scene, especially the way you describe it. I actually followed what you said well, what does that say without me? Anyway I followed it and I really appreciated the compliment! It made my day! Actually I wouldn't put it past Dante to do that. It seems like if he were around today he would be one of those authors who reads Fanfics about his stories and leaves those three page reviews that make an author's day. (Looks around...) He could live in my closet if he wanted. Yeah though I do love me some Dante. Stalking him is surprisingly difficult considering the more-likely fact that he doesn't move about. :)

**Jak0theShadows: **Hey there's nothing wrong with being a High School student, I still feel like one even--though I've been in college for a year offically! (Makes me feel weird and possibly old) "rocked my mandals" is offically the most awesome thing ever! I love it, and hey I just love hearing from people who loved my story as much as you seemed to! So thanks so much for such a kind review which exeeds such a plain adjective as "awesome". I will keep writing! Hope you continue to enjoy it!


	8. Death Rages

**Okay you've all been so helpful in sharing your opinions. I have decided that I will include all the levels of hell as seperate chapters. However this brings another question to light, there are at least six levels left, and if I keep up alternating between Grim and Mandy's POV then I have at least 12 chapters left. Furthermore there have to be at least two or three chapters to clear things up at the end. So should I keep alternating or just approach Mandy's excursion all at once? **

**PS. Don't own _The Adventures of Billy and Mandy._  
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Home.

Home had seemed infinite when I was a child. It was infinitely tall and wide and had windows that looked wherever you wanted to look. There was enough space always and yet I could always find my way around.

When I was young, I could not wait to own it. To have all this at my disposal all the time and always there and always endless. Dark and brooding and a symbol of power: this was what I wanted.

When I returned now it was open and wide and cold and empty. It was no longer a good thing. Nor was it a happy place. It was not home, it was a cage more than even...well my cage had been with Mandy. At least then I knew where I stood, I knew it was because she owned me and made no pretenses about it.

Here they pretended.

They lied.

They assured.

It was not a cage.

I could leave at any time. I was fine, I was in control, but don't leave just yet why not wait a bit, here: come do this, go do that.

It was miserable and the stone and the cold and the marble and the sheer endlessness of it all just made everything worse.

I could not stand that I missed Billy and Mandy and Sperg and Scar and all those awful people I had worked so hard to get away from.

Mandy.

A lance through my heart should I have had one.

If I had cheeks they would be dusted with a blush. If I had veins they would be filled with ice and fire.

It was pain and pleasure all at once, and terror that just the memory or thought of her could do this to me.

Me.

Death.

Ruler of all and the only one who had the final say in anything.

And I was a puddle at the thought of a woman who hated me.

The only woman who could probably best me was the only one who didn't really need to, she commanded me.

Not any longer.

Now I was alone in an empty room looking out over a land I was meant to rule and wondering what she was doing.

What was she thinking? Did she miss me? Did she care that I was gone? Had I been replaced already?

I entertained for a moment that maybe she would fetch me back if only for the reason that she refused to give me away before she was ready. That thought was just as quickly diminished when I realized that would take too much effort. She would rather _not _try, say she could, say she could best the whole of the underworld. She would find another minion and that would be why she didn't come for me. Why come for me when she had another right there, ready to take on his duties.

It was painful, and it twisted something deep within me, though in all honesty I had nothing to twist.

This was just a form, a shape I had chosen, I could change it at will to be honest, but there was no need. There was no need to look any different from the way I had always looked. I could take on any appearance I wanted, it would not make Mandy want me.

And to be truly honest with you the only opinion I really, cared about was hers.

I ran my hand over my head, bones rattling against bones. It would not matter if I changed the way I looked, but she would not have me as this.

_Bone-bag._

Monster...I was a creature of nightmare and humans feared or loathed me. I took the ones they loved or they feared my coming I was a thing to be hated in some way or another.

And it did not matter because she hated me anyway I was just a pet a thing a pawn.

I was filled with anger I could not entirely explain, and I lifted the nearest thing—a vase of poppies(1)—and threw it at the wall with every ounce of strength I possessed.

I cannot entirely explain but, it made me feel better.

Watching it shatter. The water pouring down the wall, the flowers scattering, looking as damaged as the vase.

There was an unexplained anxiety in the pit of a stomach I did not have. Something, somewhere was awry and I could not say what, which worried me more.

Something was wrong. Something needed fixing but I could put no name to it and if I focused on the feeling I only got angry and frustrated.

Not that I wasn't on edge from everything else that was currently going on in my life. Death. Afterlife. I couldn't even live a Soap Opera properly, I wasn't alive. I couldn't love. I couldn't live. I couldn't do anything properly and that was why I was nothing more than a lapdog to the only woman who could capture a heart that belonged to Death who wasn't even supposed to have a heart.

I dropped into a seat—_my throne!--_and dropped my skull into my hands. Just bones. Bones and bones and yards of fabric that was all there was to me. No eyes to stare into. No heartbeat to speed up. No pulse to race. _No breath to catch. No lips to kiss. No skin to taste. No taste. No scent but sulfur I cannot smell her._

It would not matter if she wanted me there were things I could not alter there where things that could not be. I took a strawberry(2) from the bowl on the table in front of me. I held it between bones of fingers and stared. I could eat it. It would go to a phantom stomach that I could have if I chosen to, and I would be satisfied.

I took a bite of it and then tossed it aside. It did not taste like it should. It was pale, you could taste the magic rather than the strawberry.

They would not grow _here _in a land of rocks and flames and shadows.

They were _made _to grow.

Just as the poppies were made to grow, and the sunflowers and anything that we had here in this world was made to grow. All of it was false. None of it was real, not even those that I knew were real, we were just embodiments of power.

It infuriated me again and I turned to the poppies. They had been dying in the vase and they were dying now, and now they ached and cried out. All things living were connected to me. I could feel them all dying and when they were dead I came for them.

These were dying.

Billy was dying, Mandy even, all the people I knew were dying. People.

I had met _people._

Mortals. Creatures who lived and died as quickly and brilliantly as flowers.

I could not keep Mandy in a vase and stare at her whenever I liked. Smell her whenever I liked. Treasure her whenever I had a moment to spare for her.

I growled low in what I considered my throat and the flowers burst into flames. Filling the room with that smell that was unique to poppies. A flower treasured by mortals as a _drug_.

Mortals. Everything they touched seemed to be twisted and tuned to something horrible. Everything they touched they destroyed and only Mandy was outright about it.

And she had twisted me into something weak and pathetic. She had stolen my heart without knowing it and I wished that she only knew. That I could see just a glimpse of the heart under the icy exterior she portrayed to everyone.

Even if there was no heart under there I wanted her.

She was dark and beautiful and she was the only one who could make me feel things I didn't think myself capable of feeling.

It was painful and disastrous and I loved every moment of it and prayed I would not loose the feelings I had been missing for so very long.

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1 -- Poppies are used in opium which was originally intended to ease pain and bring about sleep. Yes hence that scene in Wizard of Oz. And I put them in because they are linked to the gods Hypnos (dreams) and Morpheous (sleep) who are considered to be brothers of Hades. That's all I'll tell without spoiling things.

2 -- The Seneca say that strawberries grow along the path to the heavens and that they can bring good health. They are also associated with Sping and Rebirth.

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**Jak0theshadows -- **Repeating the nice things you say can never be a bad thing. Also seriously I adore that you think I could publish this (minding the fact I would have to change about the characters a little) I mean it really, really means a lot to me. And I do have an idea of how I could change this about to make all the characters mine. Maybe I really will try, I mean just that I have people like you out there who think I could actually do it gives me hope that it's possible. maybe I will try it. We'll have to see how this turns out at the end. (And Wondersmastical is my new favorite word). 

**xXx-Eternity's Shadow-xXx -- **I am glad you like it so much, and that you support the GrimXmandy Fandom. It's always nice to know that there are people out there who agree with the couple, AND like MY story! It's a double good thing and those are the best (except for Triple good things of course). Thanks also for the Fav that always MAKES MY DAY! Really, it does.

**Fire Blade Quickclaw -- **I'm so glad you think my story is so amazing! It always makes me smile to know people love reading this as much as I love writing it. I'm also glad to hear you appreciate my research. I really do try hard to make sure everything is perfect and just people loving my story is wonderful but when they see and appreciate the time I spend researching the smaller details, it makes it all the better when they like the story, if that makes sense :). Thanks so much for the fabulous review, it had me smiling for ages! hugs for you...whether you want them or not. Mwa ha ha. (though that hammer has me worried! I'll just have to keep updating!) Ever see the movie Misery? There's a scene where a crazed fan (not that I'm saying you're crazy) attacks an author with a hammer. It's actually a pretty fake effect but I cringe every time and you made me think of it. :) Disreguard my babbling I'm in a talk-y mood. And I'm a total movie geek so I always use movie lines in conversation and reference them. Do forgive me.

**Alice M. -- **Yay! I rock! ("Dude" always makes me think of "The Big Lebowski" so now I'm giggling madly, thanks for that! )

**Purple-Rosie -- **Hah! Well yup, now she's going to do battle with them all and you are right about Dione! I'm glad you like the Mystery. I try. It's a weak point of mine I feel so keep an eye out and feel free to point out if I start slipping somewhere okay? Always happy to improve. I am glad you like my description. I'm having to make all of these up so when people like them it really means a ton!

And yay! A Doctor Who fan! And who could not love him for he does rock the earth and time and space and all the other planets!

**Meiriona -- **mehness indeed. It's the greeks. In my experience there are at least three versions of every myth and every God and all that. I hope it doesn't vex too much.

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo -- **I agree they do mean the same thing. But I dunno I had one teacher who would go ape-shit (to excuse a phrase) if you used the "English" rather than the "American". I hoped no one would mind, I really don't care, I usually keep the same spelling for the story, but I flip back and forth on which one I use.

**Atrophy-Conception -- **I do adore your writing, and I am glad to hear you like mine and think that I use the language well. Which is possibly one of the best compliments my writing itself (not counting the acutal plot or characters) has gotten. So thanks! I do now plan to write out each level. And I'm glad you think I not only do them justice but that I don't detract from the story. Some of my older work I would get into so much detail that even I couldn't sit through it and found myself skimming, so I do try hard to not do that. So thanks much for your kind words and for your wonderful story. I cannot wait to see more in "Twitterpated" it sounds like such an interesting concept.

**and FOREVER -- **Ahh! A good thing to notice and wonder, but you shall have to wait for that, I shall not reveal my secrets until the time is right. There are nine levels and I do plan to do them all. Honestly it wouldn't be so much harder as longer and I do enjoy writing this story as much as you seem to enjoy reading it so it's fun for me to. I'm glad you want to see more (some stories seem to drag on TOO long and I do always worry I will do that. So if I do, point it out, but for now I'm glad you want to see more. It makes me so utterly happy.

**Lily of the Shadow -- **I'm glad that "wont" is correct. I thought it was, I mean it's the only way I've seen it ever, but then of course right as I was posting the captions on the television proclaimed "wont" to be "want" and I was worried. So I thought I would as you all. Yay that I had it right. I usually use grEy but I do alternate sometimes, grAy in one story and then grEy in the next...The whole idea of it confuses and bothers me. I mean Flat vs Apartment is different but really grEy and grAY are exactly the same...grr. I rant, sorry.

I do think I'd be horrified, but at the same time if I ever get published I would adore to lurk about and read the fanfiction people post about my stories (and probably I would post my own fanfiction, pretending it wasn't me just to see what people say about it but I'm odd like that!) Ah! You lived so close to him! Lucky! I love Poe so very much. Almost as much as Dante! And you know how much I love Dante!


	9. The Lady Fights

--**IMPORTANT NOTE**: In the Cartoon Series we saw a version of Cerberus that was Grim's old pet (apologies I don't remember the episode title) I'm going to go ahead and pretend that that didn't happen because I like the Dante Cerberus better. You all know my adoration for Dante. He kicks Maxwell's ass to be serious. **END NOTE**--

**I own nothing. I make no claims to anything.**

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I never had nightmares as a child. If my dreams started to get away from me, started to become something I didn't want them to be I twisted them away. I cannot do that anymore but now it is not nightmares I fear but another sort of dream. The sort that I desperately want and cannot have.

I think though, that had I had nightmares as a child, this place would have been what I saw.

With every step I took I sunk back into the mud that covered the ground here. Everything had the smell of rotting vegetation and muck.

Everything was damp and cold and putrid and in the distance I could hear the sound of flesh being torn and organs flopping out when the flesh was no longer there to hold them in the body.

I am not so different from normal humans—despite what I might want those around me to think—that I knew that sound. But it is a sound you cannot hear and be unable to name.

I felt bile rise in my throat, higher and higher until I forced it down and continued walking.

I was lucky, it did seem that Dante had known a thing or two about the Underworld. From what I could see it did seem to radiate inward, so if I continued walking a straight line I would eventually progress through each level.

The only disconcerting thing was that the change occurred with no precursor, I would be in one level and then suddenly the world would shift and move and _ripple_ and I would find myself in the next, _surrounded _by the next as though the other level had never been there.

There was a sound behind me, and then a silence settled around me.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and goosebumps(1) raised along my arms. "Something's wrong." I do not know to whom I was speaking but the words had barely escaped my mouth before I felt weight hit me so hard that when I flew forward and hit the ground I sank deeper still into the mud.

Instinct and reflex saved me.

I flipped over and tried to sit up. Though I did not manage to get up before the weight hit me again at least now I could breathe and I could see.

I could see that the grand beast Cerberus was hunched over me, one great paw against my chest, pressing tighter and tighter, squeezing my lungs.

The claws were so large I do not think they could have scratched me had he—it? They?--wanted to. It was getting difficult to breathe and while Dante wrote Cerberus as a torturer of souls other stories saw him as a watchdog.

_A watchdog. _

I did not belong here and the watchdog had found me and I had to focus.

His middle head was indeed a lion, while on either side were the heads of a wolf and a dog. The greeks warned you to carry a cake(2) to quiet his insatiable hunger. I had no such cake, I had left in too great a hurry.

Orpheus had calmed the beast with his lyre. I had never sung again since the night of that horrid pageant, but I supposed for my own skin and to get Grim back I could make an exception this once. I gulped in as much air as I could manage and sang the lyrics that came to mind first. "So many secrets I've longed to share. All I have needed is someone there, to help see a world I've never seen before a love to open every door, to set me free, so I can soar!" The words just poured from my mouth and I couldn't say I sang it with any great amount of skill or grace. I couldn't even say I had the tone or pitch right. "If someone like you found someone like me."

The great red eyes on all three heads lulled. Half shut, hazy, and tongues lolling out while the great beast drooled enough to put even Billy to shame. The beast crashed to the ground and I barely survived.

I dragged myself out from under his—their?--great form and nearly died. The tail whipped at me with it's fangs barred and so ready was it that the poison dripped, hissing as it hit the cool mud beneath it.

With another moment of lacking grace I jumped to the side, just out of the reach of the tail and when I knew it could not get me I stood, and faced down the nightmare. "I never lose." I proclaimed softly, and with that I walked away. I would not let some _monster _beat me and I would not let a mere _place _keep me from my prize.

The snow was still falling, and now that it was all I had to worry about it was that much worse.

I was dressed for light weather, mortal weather.

My dress had been pink once. All there was now was mud, and grime and filth. Caked on and peeling at my skin. My hair was matted and knotted and now there were bruises and cuts forming where the hail was hardest.

I could feel a trail of hot blood running down my temple, and I knew that my knees were bleeding just as heavily. But that would pass. A few scrapes couldn't beat me when the best the underworld had to offer couldn't beat me either.

I lifted my foot and set it down again and felt the mud squish and squelch and when I lifted my foot again I felt it lift free of my small shoe.

And with that I scoffed at myself and the mess I had gotten into. Lord! If Billy were here things couldn't get any worse. I was alone in the third level of Hell and I was in my stocking feet now.

My life really was little more than a long list of strange occurrences all starting with my enslavement of the Grim Reaper when I was still a child.

Or perhaps it started with the wolves who wanted to abscond with me when I was a child. My parents had stopped them, raised me themselves as well as they could and now throughly feared me. (3)

I did not think that I required the Grim Reaper in my life to make it as strange as it was, but it certainly helped.

Then again was it not Billy whose Aunt had run off to marry Nergal (4) at the center of the Earth? And spawn the most powerful Nerd the world had ever seen.

I managed enough normalcy to roll my eyes and be annoyed.

Through it all I continued onward, stepping over people wallowing in the mud and muck and mire. Continuing was really all I could do. My only knowledge of this place came from books, Grim had never spoken of his home, of what the Underworld was _truly _like.

Of course, that might not be his fault. I alienated him so, he never had the option to talk, and whenever he started something always happened, or it always seemed easier to brush him off, to be angry and not let him talk.

I always had to keep him at such a distance. The closer he got the harder it became to think sometimes. Most-times. It was so much _easier _to keep him at a distance. Arm's length or really the length of the room.

I had to keep reminding myself that if he knew I cared he would only want to be freed, and...and I did not want to let him go. Even if it meant he hated me I wanted to keep him by my side. My life was the blink of an eye compared to his, it would not be so long. Eventually I would die and he could go free and...

...and in the end I was still being selfish and all I was really doing was making excuses.

But if I wanted to make excuses I could because I was going to get Grim backwhether _he _wanted to come _home _or not. I never lose, and I was not going to lose Grim yet. Maybe someday I could, I could let him free, just to see if he wanted to stay. I was not ready for that yet and so he was still mine and some woman after more power was not going to foist one of her daughters off on him without my permission!

I didn't now how the Underworld worked but even if I had to fight a Goddess for him I would. There was no real way I could show him how much I cared. I was too worried about losing my hold on him, losing my touch. I was too worried he would leave.

I was afraid of being rejected.

The only way I could show him how much I cared was to keep him by my side and hope that one day he realized that even the power he offered was not worth all the trouble I had to go through to keep him there, at my side.

Where he belonged.

I shuddered though this time it was not due to the cold. I still was not used to admitting my feelings even to myself.

And I had not ever admitted—even to myself—that I felt like Grim belonged with me, at my side. Behind me Cerberus woke with a growl that split the air and I could feel it reverberate through the ground, and through my chest and it rattled my very bones.

He was awake, and he was angry.

I fought my natural instincts for a long moment. They had saved me before it was true but the books always said "Never run from anything immortal."

You may listen to this story and ask why, or maybe you have read it yourself in these tales of heroes and adventures, and you know. But if you do not...

Never run from an immortal, because it only attracts their attention. (5)

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**Another important note. I decided that I will include all the levels of hell, you knew that. However I'm not sure that I want to go back to Grim. What is happening with him is rather dull. I suppose he's a bit like the princess locked in a tower and we don't really want to see him doing nothing all the time. So I'm breaking tradition of alternating chapters and if I want to do something with Grim I'll stick it at the end of a Mandy chapter to allow you a double dose (you can all thank Meiriona for that one )**

**1 -- **I've always heard it as "goosebumps" but I know some people say "goosepimples" or "gooseflesh" even. I just thought I'd point that out and wonder if that's a cultural thing (Like the age old debate of Soda vs. Coke vs. Pop) or if there's something to it. And you all were so very kind about my "grey" and "gray" and "wont" thing I figured if anyone know you guys would.

2 -- Yeah, like a cupcake or a roll or something. That's why a lot when someone died they would put a coin in one hand (for the ferryman) and a bit of food in the other (for Cerberus).

3 -- From the episode (second on my list of favorites ONLY to "Little Rock of Horrors") "Keeper of the Reaper". (_Fred Fredburger Fred Fredburger...)_

4 -- For those who hope now to see more of Nergal. No. He's the Babylonian version of Grim, Hades, and it's confusing enough just stickin' to Greeks so...yeah.

5 -- "The Last Unicorn" Peter S. Beagle

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**Fireblade Quickclaw -- **Thanks for putting away the hammer, it was vaguely disconcerting. Indeed little does he know. Should be interesting when he finds out eh?

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo -- **I'm glad no one cares. And so long as it's weird in the good way and not weird like "I'm coming down with something" I don't think it matters if you're feeling weird. I feel weird most days.

**xXx-Eternity's Shadow-xXx -- **Wow. I'm glad you love it and I'm honored that you feel it's one of the best you've read. I hope I can keep up the good work and that you continue to enjoy it all the way to the end!

**Atrophy-Conception -- **I'm glad you liked the chapter and I am so touched you think that I portray emotions well (and yay about not describing too much!) but Oh my! The new chapter of Twitterpated is so so so so so amazing. I will try to be patient waiting for the next but I am not the most patient of people (hint hint)

**and FOREVER -- **Well I'm not going to give anything away until I'm good and ready to...or really until the characters are ready to tell you all, I don't kid when I say they've run away with me! I am so glad you think I've captured his emotions well, I mean it is hard to do--he's the Grim Reaper after all!-- but I try and I'm glad I seem to be doing a good job!

**Soldier of Darkness -- ** Ooh! You are full of compliments (And I know what it is to be lazy so don't worry too much!) and full of questions. All very good questions but sadly you will have to just wait and see. Though I suppose I could tell you if Grim is in the final level or in another...realm?...all of his own, but I think I'll just leave you hanging instead. I gotta keep you interested you know:)

**Hells Agent -- **I know this took a while but stupid real life got in the way. I do try to update as quickly as possible but...I know sometimes I take a long while. Hey at least you aren't hooked on my Numb3rs fic. I've not updated that since April. (Mostly because my plot hates me and I like this story better. You all are so much kinder than the people over in that section.) So no worries.

**FurubaFMANarutoHngFan -- **I'm glad you liked it and I hope this one is just as good (or hey even better!)

**Meiriona -- **Well I suppose you already know I took your advice about the chapters, and thank you for it, it really helped. I was so stuck on the idea that I had started with them alternating and I felt like that meant I HAD to keep it up. So thanks for that.

I do have some tricks up my sleeve yet. We'll just have to wait and see what they are...well you will, I do have the added bonus of KNOWING what's going to happen. :) Sadly this time around I didn't have anything to say from Grim's side of things, but we'll see what the next time holds shall we?

I have checked out Bleedman's stuff and I am so honored you think that my little ol' story is on par with his work. He did inspire me to be a GrimXMandy shipper!

**Jak0Shadows -- **I love Paper Mario (or really my latest kick is the new Super Mario Brothers for the DS) so I can't really blame you for playing (not that I would have anyway). Seriously though. MeHUGE Mario fan.

I am touched that you want to read my work so very often, but certainly ass kickagebad so let's not go there! I am utterly touched that you WANT to all the same though so yay!

**Purple-Rosie -- ** I'm glad you liked the last chapter so much, I was a little worried but I did want to show that side of him we never get to see and I'm glad you think I did it well! I'm also very glad that you continue to think I'm doing "marvelously"! Brightens my day that does!

And I do so love reviews (**HINT HINT) **But you're right, we don't want short, poorly thought out filler chapters taking up all my time, so I think I will cut down a little on Grim's side of things. I'm glad you think that's alright if I do it that way and you do always have SUCH nice things to say to me.

My Favorite Who Quote:

"My doctorate is purely honorary. And Harry here is only qualified to work on sailors." I don't know why really but I giggle EVERY TIME I hear it.

**Marq -- **Well you know how grateful I am to you and I thank you very much for all the amazingly kind things you've had to say, and I just wanted to thank you again--because really I can't thank you enough!


	10. The Lady Pities

**Sorry this took so long, i really meant to get it out sooner but stupid Fanfiction decided that I didn't deserve tech support just because they wouldn't let me upload files.**

**I had to call my MOTHER way on the other side of the country and have her upload this. Yay for her. w00t. **

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The world heaved up around me and changed and I knew I was getting closer to my goal...

_Closer to Grim..._

"What will you do when you find him again?" It was all I could do not to jump. It was not that I was scared, but the voice suddenly at my side was a little unexpected. I whirled and was met with those haunted eyes. I wasn't going to let her hinder my journey. I knew enough of these myths to know it was just as likely that she was here to put me astray and I would rather lose a chance at help than chance losing Grim.

I pushed past her, relishing the first fairly easy level. There was no wind nor rain here. No lashing hail. The mud was drying and crumbling to dust leaving me streaked with dirt and blood but at least I was no longer shivering.

I would win either way but I did not need to best another Cerberus any time soon. Especially in light of what I _knew _to be waiting for me in the coming levels.

"What will you do when you find him?" She asked again, following me as I continued onward.

"I will bring him home."

"You should think more of what you will do. If all you do is bring him home, they will take him again." She said in that same soft voice that rattled my teeth.

"He is mine."

"Then you'd best go and Claim him." Without the world roaring around us I could see that her whole appearance was hazy, as though she were fading away. Her dress was covered with flowers, though if they were sewn in or merely growing there I could not say.

They were tiny white things, with oval petals and they smelled surprisingly of citrus.(1) But for as innocent as she looked...for as small and sad as she seemed...

She set me on edge.

And her strange words, neither predictions nor warnings really, worried me.

Something inside me—no matter what I would admit—wanted to trust her, and everything she said seemed to say that my journey was not what I thought it was, the hard part was not merely getting to him. The hard part was not finding Grim.

She spoke of claiming.

I had claimed him. I bested him so long ago—_I was a child_. He took my heart but I still controlled him.

I could not claim him more than that. _He was mine_. His word bound me to him and for an immortal their word is a law by which they must abide. How else could I make him mine?

Surely she was only here to confuse and trick me. To slow my journey to the center of the Underworld and to lead me astray.

I did not have to ignore her for she was gone in a moment.

I had pulled ahead—just a little—and when I turned back to her she was gone, and all that was left, were the moans.

All around me men and women pushed their respective weights about, each a Sisyphus in their own right.(2) In life they had horded their riches and refused to share with those who went without. Without food, without warmth...

Now they struggled eternally with the weight of their greed.

I was reminded of Scrooge. In life they forged their chains, their weights and now in death they were forced to shoulder that weight. The Ghost had warned Scrooge, but really how many of us would change just because we knew what waited for us in the afterlife?

I knew what waited for me, I knew that when I died I would lose Grim and that was all I needed to know, to know that I would be miserable.

It was then that I recalled that Dante had told of Plutus. An eternal guard, part wolf and all cruelty. A demonic guard over those who wasted or horded.

But to the Greeks Plutus was Demeter's son. He was the embodiment of wealth and he had been blinded so that he could pass on wealth without judgment or bias. He is lame so that his coming is slow and he is winged so that he can leave quickly.(3)

I hoped, just this once, that Dante was wrong, that I would not need to best yet another guard. I had enough of those ahead of me and if I was going to win either way they may as well just make it easy on me.

Simple or hard I would win.

"You do not belong here." The voice was paper thin and unlike Dione I had to strain to hear it. It did not echo again and again within me.

I faced Plutus and I knew it was him. He was twisted and small and his eyes were pale and milky in their blindness. I supposed that reasonably I would be found out sooner or later. I did not think I would be found out so soon, and I did not know what would happen now that I had been found out.

"You are greedy, but you aren't and you do not hoard nor waste. You do not belong in my realm." I loathe to admit, I was grateful. Surprise was a wonderful thing to have and if they still considered me nothing more than another lost soul I could get closer to Grim. I was certain that when he saw me he would help me escape—him at my side.

He knew I could make his life worse that whatever they had for him here and he would not betray me. I hoped. I was tough and I was cruel and I was mean but I had a heart and it was in his hand—boney though it may have been.

I did not want to see it crushed to dust.

"I do not, I am merely passing through." I _was_ greedy I supposed, but not with money, not with _things _and that was what mattered here. That was the difference I supposed. I was greedy because I would rather Grim stay with me for my lifetime than let him free.

I did not care that perhaps it would be better if he were here, in his kingdom. I did not care, I merely wanted him to stay by my side for my life—he had an eternity, he could spare me seventy years.

"Why are you here?" His voice was weak, gaining strength, his eyes narrowed and the hair on the back of my neck rose.

"I am passing through, heading to my fate! You will leave me be! Go back to your hoarders, your wastrels! I am neither and you hold no power over me." It had worked with the Tooth Fairy, if you did not believe a thing did not have power. Dione had power without belief but other things were even odder about her, that was the furthest from my mind.

He balked. Looked about, and backed up. "You do not belong!" His voice lost it's power. But behind him a woman pushing a rock almost triple her size faltered and the stone began to slip and his attention was drawn away.

I could see—as I watched Plutus walk away to deal with her—why Dante had twisted him into a monster, given him strength and cruelty.

Plutus was sad, forgotten, and nearly powerless. Men earned their own wealth extorting each other and they did not need to be granted their riches any longer. All the world needed was someone to watch over those who were selfish with their earnings.

No one had restored his sight, nor healed his lameness.

And all that was left was a sad young man who could not see, and could only barely walk and held little power over even those within his realm. I do not pity easily but I did pity him.

All around me were people who deserved this torture. I had seen hundreds and would see hundreds more who had been dealt what they deserved. Or maybe less than they deserved...

Here though was a child who had been dealt a sour hand from birth and no one had seen fit to fix what had been done to him, and no one would.

I was in the Fourth Level of the Underworld but Plutus was in a private hell. It was a pity, but that was what happened to pawns.

When they outlived their usefulness they were pushed aside and sometimes they kept living nothing more than a shadow of a life. At least he was still living. They could have disposed of him when they wanted him no more and then Demeter would have really lost both her children. Not that scholars ever told of Demeter and her son. (4)

There seemed to be little love between Mother and son and I supposed that was part of why I sympathized with him. His mother had other things that took up her life, as did my parents. Though in my case I will not deny that much of it was my own making. I forced them away and they found other things to fill the hole I was supposed to fill. Still I did sympathize.

I would not stop though.

I loved more than I pitied even though I would be more likely to admit I pitied.

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**Sorry for my little rant at the beginning.**

**1 -- **Mock Orange points to those who can guess what this means. Don't cheat! If you can't someone think to remind me before the last chapter to tell you all. I already forgot a couple things I didn't want to say right away and ugh. Worst memory EVER! That's me.

**2 -- **Sisyphus is the one who rolled the rock eternally up the hill. That's the only bit you really need to know for that comment to make sense but it is a good myth if you want to look further into it.

**3 -- **This is the real description given of Plutus to my knowledge, this isn't my creation this time around.

**4 -- **He is really Demeter's son. I just found that out recently and I was so...sad to hear that like no one seems to care about him. It's all about Persephone. Eh. It just seemed to me that Mandy would comiserate with him you know?

**Pear thing...I mentioned it in chapter... four I think (five?) that the idea of spliting a pear was a sort of symbol and I didn't want to spoil it...well the idea is that you're not supposed to split a pear between friends or else they will be seperated. Sorry I meant to mention that a long while ago but eh. Better late than never and it really just was a small little fun thing my Grandfather used to say (we would always eat pears and I could never finish mine so I'd offer to share...eh.) **

**xXx-Eternity's Shadow-xXx -- **Wow. I'm glad this fills such a very important need of yours! Because in reality fluff is much more important than a lot of people give it credit. I love fluff and for this couple it is really difficult to do well and I am so FREAKIN' thrilled you think I do it well!

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo -- **Yeah, I thought I was the only one who liked "Keeper of the Reaper" but I've gotten tons of reviews and mail to prove otherwise so I'm just thrilled that so many people seemed to enjoy what is my favorite episode. I do love it so. And Fred Fredburger is amazing...Though I fear proclaiming him my favorite he'd probably show up at my house and after an hour I'm sure the novelty would wear off.

**Purple-Rosie -- CRAP MONKIES. **I kept reminding myself to put the song information and I just...forgot. It was from the Musical of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. OKay so yeah David Hasslehoff is in it but WHOA he can actually act! And sing. So yeah. It was the song "Someone like you". I am glad you love my story. I mean I don't think hearing that will ever get old nor will it ever seem true. I think that's a good thing. Keeps my ego in check and it makes each review mean even more to me. You also make my chapter sound like a recipe and I do so love food so that made me giggle.

In addition for your comment about my choice I'm glad you agree. It is less than fearsome and I wanted it to be a Hellish demon which a poodle is certainly not. yeah, Nergal is a Babylonian god. Basically the Hades of that religion. So it was just too much and I was already struggling trying to make Dante and Greek and Cartoon fit together I didn't want to deal with another religion as well.

**Dragon from the Black Lagoon -- **I'm glad you liked the reference. I was awful and I totally forgot to mention what the song was. I'm glad you liked the reference. I love it personally though my favorite song from that musical is "Dangerous Game" but that didn't fit quite so well. I knew she had to sing and this one fit well with the story so it won.

**Niyu-Chan -- **I'm so touched. Every time someone tells me that they love my story or they re-read chapters it really does brighten my day. I really really appreciate it and I'm glad you like it so much and I hope you continue to enjoy it so much until the end.

**Itsy-Evil-Spiders -- **I'm glad you like it. I am trying something new doing that in this story and so many people are making me feel like I do it well, like I've been doing it for years. I love doing it so I'm glad you all like it so much, it means I'm doing it justic and I can try encorperating that into other stories.

**preety-lady-Serenity -- **I am glad that you think I'm doing justice to the classics. I do try hard but effort doesn't always save you. I hadn't heard that. I actually think there is a place I can fit that into...not sure yet. And if not I do adore just knowing it. Thank you very much for sharing with me. I think actually there is something I want to ask you...but, depending on your definition of spoiler it MIGHT spoil the ending, I don't really think so...but it's up to you. Email or Yahoo or AIM works fine. I'm on vaction this week but I do manage on at least a little every now and then so pardon if I'm slow in answering. (And do feel fine to say you don't want me to spoil it I won't mind at all. )

**Jak0TheShadows** -- I love pancakes. Glad you think it's yummy like pancakes. Fred Fredburger indeed.

**Lily of the Shadow** -- I don't think a day can get better than TWO reviews from one of my NICEST reviewers. Well I do a lot of symbolism because it's fun. The Fruit has a second reason for use and that's because...maybe it's me but most fruit carries a sort of...sensuality. It's sweet and juicy and most of them have a kind of "Flesh". It's part of a theme I'm working towards which I will talk more about at the end just because I'm always paranoid about spoiling it. My friend Jon is freakish about it. I mean you could tell him that in Hamlet more than just the King dies and he would freak out that you've ruined the whole story. So...better safe than sorry. Do remind me to explain it though--if you can't figure it for yourself, I'm sure you could...I already forgot to talk about the Pear thing.

Heh. You'll just have to wait to see how they get together. I do hope that above everything else it will fit with their characters. And I'm glad you liked that line so much. I almost took it out I was worried that it wouldn't make sense to anyone but me or that the repition would annoy people but this is supposed to be a train-of-thought thing...eh I was worried and you made me SO happy by liking it SO much.

Honestly I wasn't too obsessed with the show until recently. I watched it yeah cause I thought it was hiliarious in that goofy way and my friends and I love watching cartoons and seeing those jokes and thinking "Do kids GET that?" I liked the Powerpuff girls thing that Bleedman did and so I was like "eh" and gave an attempt at the Grim one. It was okay.

Then there was that line when Mandy says yes to Grim and she goes "How would that work" and that just struck a chord in me. Like "Why does their relationship have to go to that?" And I started considering that and this sort of spawned and now I just always seem to catch that show on which makes me happy. So don't feel too bad about not getting some of the little things and if you really like and can't catch the show on television I'm more than happy to explain the stuff I mention. Hell it would thrill me to if you really want. I love talkin' to you guys!

And my computer, don't get me started. Fanfiction seems to have a friggin' vendetta against me I think. Anyway yeah.

**neodanmatter -- **Yay Dante indeed. It's such a shame he's dead. Glad you like the chapter and I love hearing from people even if it's just "yay Dante."


	11. They Think

**Own nothing.**

** WARNING: Uh... 21st of August (to give as many people as possible a chance to learn) I am changing my penname to Doormouse. I know I shouldn't. But Nako-chan doesn't really fit me anymore. It was a really long time ago and looking at old work my style has completely changed, and so have I. So yeah. Beware?**

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The Styx was slow-moving and dark as pitch, like a river swollen with rain there was as much mud in the water as there was water.

Everything in this realm smelled stale and rotten and the air felt thick with that and the scent of blood and meat. The air was filled with the scents and with the sounds one might associate with Hell. The sounds of gurgled prayers that never quite made it to completion.

I saw now what life would hold for me without Grim. This mud as black as pitch and filled with sand and stench. It was more runny than the mud that had stolen my shoes and stained my dress earlier. The people around me were drowning in this mud and all they wanted to do was be alone and finish their prayers.

Fear was weakness and I was not weak, but as I picked my way around these people who in life were sullen. Sullen, never smiling, just like I was. Here was my fate. The wrathful were ever worse. Angry in life—_angry little tree stump (1)--_and now here they were forever more, wallowing in the mud naked and cold and tearing each other to pieces with their teeth for all eternity.

_The sound of tearing flesh._

It was all around, the bits and snatches of prayers could do nothing to drown it out and all I could do was keep trekking slowly through the mud. _Sludge._

That and the sound and sight and smell of people tearing each other apart with their teeth. I could see blood and teeth and bits of flesh every time any of them opened their mouths to take yet another bite of the person next to them.

Just because they were nearby.

It was not even about eating the other person, it was simply about tearing them apart. Destroying them as they were being destroyed.

Thoughts of Grim kept me going though nothing else could. As nothing else could. Not even the thought of winning, of not being beaten.

Thoughts of me drowning in this ooze for eternity made me stumble.

I couldn't regain my footing.

I knelt there in the muck and the slime leaning heavily on my hands which continued to sink slowly deeper. Deeper and deeper no matter how quickly I tugged at them. This was where I would end my journey, what matter was it if I ended now?

After all I was so tired. So incredibly tired. I had fought Cerberus and I had worked my way through torture after torture. All I wanted was to rest...

To sink into the mud and rest.

Ahead of me I could just see the River Styx and I could certainly feel its waters in everything I touched. Everything was sopping, dripping, gurgling...

I gave one last effort, ripping at my arms with all the strength I had left and with a loud pop they were free. With as much effort as I had used to free my arms I began to drag my feet through the mud. If I could not lift them free I would drag them along with me, for I could not stay here a moment longer.

This was the Level of Hell I would find myself in when I died at long last and so it called to my soul in a way I could not explain with all the words and all the time in the whole of the Universe. I had to get out and get on with my journey. This place would suck me in if I could not control myself. It knew, and my soul knew that I belonged here at the end of my Journey. But that was—hopefully—a long way away yet.

I still needed to save Grim currently and his life—eternal it may be—was certainly worth more than mine. I stumbled more as I reached the actual River and easily fit in with the other waiting masses, those lost souls who belonged in the City of Dis and beyond. They followed their path so easily and I did so love a challenge but I couldn't help feel a pang of jealousy at how easy they had it. They could follow their path, find their place, stop and rot in hell for the rest of their lives.

The rest of their Afterlife actually.

This place called to my soul, this was where my chains would lead me, where I would be dragged to when Grim finally claimed my life.

When he reaped my immortal soul...to claim my life made it as though he put some stake on me, made me _his._

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It would not matter if I ate or not. I could not harm myself and it would not cause any damage or even make anyone around me worry. It still felt rewarding to stay locked in my chambers and refuse to come out for dinner. 

It was a bit petulant but it certainly made me feel better.

If I left I would only loose what little appetite someone who didn't need to eat had. It was disgusting to see these women of power being pushed at me.

I hated Nyx for what she was doing and I hated myself for having lost my heart to a mortal who couldn't care less if she had it or not.

If Mandy did not hold my heart, I could have at least accepted one of these Goddesses. I wouldn't have been happy but I wouldn't have been miserable either. To have to spend my life next to someone who was not Mandy would be torture at best.

Then again I supposed torture was fitting for one who lived in the Underworld.

Still, for all I deserved or needed...Mandy was what I wanted. That quiet, angry _young, mortal, woman. _Something about how angry she was, how strong she was. She was mortal it was true but she was more powerful than any of those fawning creatures out there.

It was a miracle, as twisted and dark as she was, she was a miracle.

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**I know this chapter is rather short, but I wanted to set some...tones, for the people in the Underworld, to sort of hint at things to come...they were going to happen in this chapter but then INSPIRATION! and I wanted to put them in a different one, so this one lost a large chunk, which you'll see later, so sorry this is short but you'll gain back later.**

**1 -- From the Beauty Pagent episode. Not one of my favorites (though I love the _Space Odyssey _references) but that's the line.**

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo -- **Eh. I think it works your way just as well, I mean it's still true isn't it? I still love him when he's on the TV and I love the end of that episode when he's in the vampire's house.

**Atrophy-Conception -- **Aww you're too kind to me. Thanks much, as always and I am glad you like it so much. I really like where it's going and I keep getting excited and wanting to work on the end rather than the middle, but that would sort of ruin the story for you guys who don't know what's happening in the middle. So...yay.

**Lily of the Shadow -- **Yup, I'm glad you sort of figured it out, I really am paranoid about this story because it is the first time I'm trying a lot of the stuff I put in, and I was worried that no one would get it. So yay! I know you all end up having to hold my hand through this story but thanks for doing it and I'm glad you like it enough to stick with it. I'd give you all hugs if I could but that would involve stalking you and I don't think you'd like that.

**x-Eternity's Shadow-x -- **Don't die! Then you can't see what happens when Mandy finds out. And to be fair she sort of already did. She knew tat the beginning that they wanted Grim back and to take a wife, but she doesn't know all of it.

**preety-lady-serenity -- **Thanks as always for all your help. You should see some of the things in upcoming chapters, I just wanted to set up the idea of it. Yay. I'm really really excited about it!

**Jak0theshadows** -- I loved your review even if the heart didn't show up. I know, Fanfiction is evil about it sometimes, 3

but the thought really is what counts with stuff like that.


	12. The Lady Meets

**Dedicated to preety-lady-Serenity. Your help with Greek Myths has been invaluable and it took most of my willpower to wait until now to start on your brilliant idea! Thanks so much!**

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This realm was arid, dry and dying and endless. It was so flat that you could look off into the distance and see to eternity it seemed. The ground was nothing more than hard-packed dirt that had cracked here and there, opening up and begging the skies for water. Between the cracks bushes had tried to grow, those were nothing more than gnarled shrubs.

It was slow and difficult going. The ground was hot and hard and covered with sharp sticks and rocks and I suddenly missed my shoes. The pain didn't keep me from my goal though. I solidered on, because in the end saving Grim was all that mattered.

When I found him and we returned to my home he would do whatever I asked—whether he wanted to or not—and I would have no need to walk if I didn't want to, at least until my feet had a chance to heal. I was lucky that there was no sun or I was certain I would have baked, it was hot enough without the sun.

I studied anything I could to keep my eyes from the tombs that also littered the otherwise barren landscape. Here and there great tombs had seemed to grow from the very ground I stumbled over. They were big and looked to be made of stone—much too heavy for the occupant to free themselves. Make-up aside they were on fire. Each one was engulfed in flames, further torturing the occupant. The air was filled with smoke and flames and the scent of burning shrubs and wood and bodies.

But the flames were silent, no crackling nor popping. The silence was deafening and all one could hear was the sounds of those in the coffins praying softly. They prayed to the God they had no faith in in life. They had no faith in any of this and that's why they're here. Locked away to spend the eternity they didn't believe in praying for more. The more they now _know _to be around them.

I coughed and covered my mouth with one dirty hand. It was difficult to breathe with so much smoke, which would not matter to the people in this place, none of them had a need to breathe. I was the only living mortal to make my way—unaccompanied—into the heart of the underworld.

But I was here for Grim, I was here to find him, and bring him home, where he belonged. I kept that in mind and finally tore a bit from the bottom of my dress. It was in a complete state of disrepair by this time, covered in mud and blood and soaked through. There would be no reason to even have Grim fix it. So another piece gone did not matter and holding the scrap to my nose and mouth helped a little with the flames.

I could just make out the iron walls that enclosed this place in the distance and for a moment I thought I was safe. I thought maybe this level would be easy, that beyond a pair of bleeding feet there was no pain here. The thought warmed me until I heard the scream.

I turned and felt my heart drop into my feet. Here before me now were the dreaded Furies(1). The books I had read did not prepare me for the sight, and I do not think words can truly capture the horror of them.

The three hung one after the other in the air, great bat wings beating the air, blasting me with heat and smoke. They were women you could tell, but like no woman you can imagine. Their skin was as dark as pitch and their eyes were red, and bleeding.

Blood ran like tears down their perfect cheeks and where it touched ground it sizzled and smoked. They were dressed in tatters of black cloth, I thought. You could not tell where fabric started and skin ended, but you could tell their skin was as black as their outfits, or maybe it was merely loose skin hanging in great folds.

It did not matter.

Snakes were not twined in their hair, like the gorgons their hair was just a twist of snakes, writhing and hissing. Their fingers lengthened into claws and I was afraid.

Cerberus could be tamed, it had been difficult, but he could be tamed. These three answered only to themselves. Even in the tales where they worked for Dike, Goddess of Justice they worked alone and did what they felt was Right.

The one in the middle swooped down at me and I dropped to my stomach, covering my head and trying to pull the shreds of my thoughts around me so I could form a plan. I skittered away, still on my belly and hunched down beside a tomb.

I tried to recall all I knew of them but all that came to mind was that no prayer, no sacrifice, nor tears could move them, sway them from dealing the justice they sawI decided that the only option—however unintelligent, was to run. I might be able to make it to the edge of this level and I did not think they would follow me to the next.

Even if they did follow me the Minotaur, or the Centaurs or even the Harpies might be distracted by them. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend".(2)

I took no more than two steps from behind my meager shelter and was tackled to the ground., the creature screeching in my ear and her claws sunk into my shoulders as though it were nothing.

Music started somewhere. Soft and silken and sweet. The creature on my back was distracted and I dimly thought I should take my chance, shake her off me and run...but the music was too perfect. Sad and elegant it twined about me like a lover and comforted me through my pain.

I managed to look up and saw a man walking towards me. His skin was pale and sallow, his eyes were sunken in and his clothes were tattered and as ruined as my own. He had at least retained his shoes it seemed and a lyre, which he held to him and played now.

Here was the source of the music. He stopped for a moment and took my hand, lifting me as the Furies danced in the sky above us. As soon as I was on my feet he was playing again, not before tucking my hand into the crook of his arm. We walked along like that, as though we were two lovers taking a Sunday stroll...

The Furies had long since been lost to our site and finally he stopped, dropped my hand and nearly dropped his lyre and stared at me with those heartbroken eyes. "You are searching for someone as well?" He asked. I nodded dumbly, unsure of what to do, or even what had happened.

"Have you seen my love on your journeys?" He asked, hope flickering to life in dull eyes.

"Who is--" In the middle of my question I realized just whom I was looking at, just who had saved me.

"Eurydice." He whispered brokenly. "I have to find her."

It was a part of the myth often left out of the story when it was present to American audiences but it was often said that after Orpheus(3) died he wondered the Underworld looking to finally reunite with his lover.

"I have not seen her." I told him. I felt terrible that I had not seen her, I wished that I could tell him where she was, so that he could finally have her again. But I had not, and suddenly my own journey seemed less difficult. I had to face the other levels of this place yes, but I knew where Grim rested. I was not doomed to spend eternity roaming around down here looking for Grim, my heart aching every moment we were apart.

I also knew that Grim did not care for me, he did not suffer without me, I did not feel _guilty _if I could not reach him in an instant. I wished I could help this man in front of me.

"You are like I was once." He murmured softly. I nodded. "You look for your lover?" He asked.

"My property." I loved him but Grim would never be my lover. I doubted he could care less about me. "He is not my lover, he is mine." I told him firmly. He looked at me carefully with those dull, pained eyes and nodded. "He rules this place. He will know where she is."

I was not famous for my kindness but I had read about him and his love and the pain they had suffered since I was small, I wanted to help if I could.

The two did not deserve an eternity apart and I would rectify that if I could. Another challenge for me to face, as though the first I had taken on was not hard enough. Hope flared in his eyes again. "He would? I could find her? Finally?" He did drop his lyre this time and gripped both my hands in his. I nodded. "I can never repay you for the help, just trying to help me." He whispered, collecting his instrument. "I will do whatever I can to help you find yo--him." I did not think he believed that I didn't love Grim, but he wasn't saying anything, so I would not harm him for now.

I passed without thought into the next realm with a companion at my side. It did not occur to me to worry, to think just how much lay in front of me in the seventh level.

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1 -- Furies okay, before you tell me I have it wrong there are several different descriptions of them I have found in literature, and then in art or plays they change again as well. I combined my favorite things from most of the descriptions I found and so I'm sorry if they don't fit quite what you had in mind. I hope you enjoy them all the same though. 

2 -- Sun Tzu I think. It's been a while since I've read "The Art of War" and with all my moving and rearranging I couldn't find my copy. So if I'm wrong I'll fix it.

3 -- Orpheus did die in a sort of continuation of the myth, I will tell you how he died in the story later on, so I don't want to spoil it here. When he died he supposedly wondered the underworld looking for Eurydice so they could finally be together.

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo -- **I know! Glad you liked the chapter, I certainly did, though honestly I think this one might be my favorite. This one or the next. It's a tough call.

**And FOREVER -- **Hey I've missed you! Glad you're back with more incredibly nice things to say! I know you all probably get tired of saying it but I love that I finally seem to have found the right amount of description. I really feel that's one of my greatest weaknesses in writing so I love hearing that I'm doing well. I know this wasn't particularly _soon _but I have two other stories going as well, which is my own fault. But I do try, so I hope I didn't take too long!

**preety-lady-serenity -- **Whoo hoo! He finally makes an appearance. I wanted to check with you about his insturment but I was really excited about updating. I've heard it as lyre or lute...thought I'd take a chance. I read it was a lyre, but you're the one who taught me sometimes they get it wrong. I do love the myths and I love that you're so very helpful in telling me them, and helping with the story. Anyway, thanks again and I'm glad you're enjoying it.

**Atrophy-Conception -- **Yeah, it's hard to be patient but I know I have to, I wouldn't want to rush it and wreck the story.

**Jak0TheShadows** -- Hey it was awesome to see someone was over on Gaia! No need to change anything, Fanfiction should just change my name automatically so you (or anyone else) who has "Nako-chan" on alert of favorites or whatever will just have "Doormouse" instead. Just thought I'd warn you so you didn't log on and see that Doormouse had this story and think someone stole it from me!

**Fireblade Quickclaw ** -- I know hey! It's driving me nuts too but I had you all vote on it and the majority wanted to see every level of the Underworld so that's what I'm doing! Just a few more to go, she's on Seven next and then there's just eight and nine and whee! They're back! Hope you can stay sane long enough! I'd hate to actually drive you nuts!

**Larentia Ariadne -- **I'm glad you like it and I do try to update as often as possible! I love the symbolism myself, it's fun to write.

**Godwallop -- **What looks around Huh? nooo..I have no idea what you mean. Don't tell anyone please!


	13. The Lady Hurts

**I know this took me forever to update, do forgive me, but there was a lot in this and the next level and I wanted to keep it all but I wanted to do it justice...**

** Anyway, no real news to share, but I was wondering, I am thinking about restarting my old LJ to include information on my daily life, possible story ideas, I dunno what else.**

** So would anyone be interested in that and any ideas of things to share there?**

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We landed in the river Phlegethon.

I use the term loosely of course.

River implies water, implies cool, implies things that we have all known since childhood. This moved like a river, but it was filled with thick blood. Blood that was boiling. It was startlingly red and crowded with people struggling and flailing and moaning.

There was always that deafening moaning somewhere.

Orpheus was less startled by the sudden switch from hard, dry land to deep pool of blood and helped me to the shore.

I coughed up blood that was not my own.

Blood that was not my own dripped from my hair into my eyes.

I was dripping blood that scalded my skin. And when I finally caught my breath, I regretted it. The stench here was indescribable. Sweat and old blood, and rotting flesh and anything that could stink was there, in the air all around us.

Orpheus dragged me to my feet, looking much like how I felt. "We have to run." He urged, trying to drag me.

It was habit that forced me to balk. I would not be commanded by anyone, even if they were trying to help. I jerked him back, refusing to move.

There are no words that can describe what it felt like. It was much like being struck by a car, I assume, but concentrated into one point. One moment I was being stubborn, the next there was an arrow lodged in my shoulder, quivering with the force of striking me.(1)

I was too pained to scream.

All I could manage was a breathless grunt as I stumbled backwards and hit the ground.

Orpheus fell onto me, covering me as he ripped the arrow from my shoulder as quickly as he could manage. It hurt more coming out than going in I can tell you that. The flesh shredded and I could feel muscle doing the same.

He took a few handfuls of the boiling blood and dumped it on the wound, burning the flesh shut to save me shedding my own blood.(2) He did not give me a single moment between each new pain searing through my body, simply began muttering incoherently as he dragged me to my feet and began to run.

There was a strange howl that filled the air, drowning out his words. There before us towered the minotaur.

Art and words had not done it justice.

It towered over the both of us standing at least eight feet high. Great cloven hooves, as big around as I was, maybe more, sunk into the earth with the weight of him. Matted fur clung to the huge legs, it was no matter, you could see there was nothing less than solid muscle under the fur.

A tail like that of a bull swung violently behind him as though swatting at flies. It was not as though even flies would be foolish enough to try and harm this creature. The fur faded to thick, leathery flesh and then to a tattered loincloth. (3)

It looked as though it was made from human flesh and I did not doubt the truth of that for a moment. His chest seemed infinitely wide and was still more muscle, all of them coiled and all of them ready to strike.

He held a bow as tall as I was and that was with it bent under the force of the string.

The horns bent and twisted above his head, one sharpened to a deadly point and the other was broken as though from battle.

His face lengthened into that of a bull, with sharp teeth that dripped saliva and beady eyes that spoke of evil, hatred and rage.

There was also a quiver of arrows that matched the one which had struck me on his back, and another was being notched as I stared, taken aback. His hands looked too massive to simply hold the bow, and I wondered why it didn't simply break in his grip. I was certain he could have crushed my bones to dust with barely any effort at all.

He snorted and drew the arrow back, muscles twisting and tightening and rippling.

This time when Orpheus took my hand I did not struggle, I nearly surpassed him as I ran. We gripped each other, seeking a life line as we raced through this new torture. We finally reached the forest and each ducked behind a tree. I was suddenly grateful for not being squeamish.

A man swung gently in front of me.

His flesh was purple and rotting off his bones. If he had once had clothes they were gone now, long since rotted away by time and---(4)

I looked to Orpheus who seemed as terrified as I now was. I looked slowly, as though hoping they would not be there.

I am not a person easily scared but in that moment I swear I could feel my heart stop within my chest.

Just where they were meant to be, up in the trees were the harpies. The one just above me was old, what little flesh you saw was wrinkled and leathery with age. Snow white hair hung from her scalp and under her beak and held tiny bones knotted into it.

She had no face, just a long jagged beak with beady red eyes above it, nearly lost in the mass of white hair.

She had wings in place of arms and each one was at least twice as tall as I. Her talons were tipped with sharp claws and were digging into the wood of the tree as though it were as soft as butter. (5)

I covered my mouth quietly. My shoulder was throbbing so badly my whole side ached and I felt like I could sleep for a month and still be tired. Furthermore it seemed that each tree in the forest around us held at least two of the great hairy beasts. For the first time in my life I didn't have the slightest clue of what to do. I could not move, for there was no guarantee we could keep quiet enough, and the only legend of the Harpies I could recall was of the Three Harpies driven away by the Argonauts.

I consider myself powerful but I am not stupid, my power does not amount to that of an army of trained warriors and I did not have faith in Orpheus's fighting capabilities. I wasn't even sure he had anything beyond that lyre.

Then again at this point I wasn't certain if my knowledge of myths would help any. Dante had been right, there was a forest full of Harpies here, and the myth, it had only three, that took an army to defeat.

My hands curled into fists and I could feel even my short nails biting into the flesh there. I uncurled my fingers and stared at the red welts that dotted the pale flesh. I looked up and could see, just through the trees, the flat plains where those who committed violent acts against God and nature writhed in pain. Showered with bits of fire that constantly rained down from the sky.

It was a long shot, but it was likely that the Harpies would not fly there, _could not_ more appropriately. If I could find as straight a path as possible, and if I ran the whole way, we might escape with out lives. The Minotaur had not followed us into the woods after all...

I glanced to Orpheus, who was cradling his lyre against his chest and looking mournful.

_Follow me. _I mouthed. He nodded, and gripped his lyre tighter. My shoulder was aching again, hurting so much I could feel my vision as it blurred and then cleared. I would be wavering on my feet if I didn't have the tree at my back, holding me up. I wondered briefly if it was possible for me to continue on, if it was possible for me to make it so far as that plain.

What did it matter if I did make it so far? I would then have to face fire falling from the sky, and then the Malebolge on the next level and still beyond that lay more for me to face. The only difference was I did not _know _what lay beyond that.

I was going to die down here. I should turn back while I still had a chance. Orpheus had wondered this place for years, he would know a way back to the mortal world.

I realized then just what I was thinking.

What waited for me in the mortal world? Billy and a life without Grim. Along this journey I had come to terms with the fact that I loved Grim more than my own life, so what was life without him?

I may as well die trying to bring Grim back into my life, rather than try to live a life without him. I pushed off the tree that was supporting me and ran, despite the pain and the lack of strength I ran. I could barely breathe but I ran all the same. I dared not look back to see if Orpheus was following but I could hear the Harpies screeching angrily and somewhere in the back of my mind I realized what a _stupid, foolish _idea this was. The sort of thing Billy may have suggested. My mind was far too fuzzy with the pain to do anything about it though. Anything besides continuing to run that is.

Finally we exploded past the line of the trees and into the dusty, barren landscape beyond.

The creatures following us screeched in pain and anger and fluttered back into the trees and after a moment I realized what had driven them away. Tiny flaming embers fell from the sky like rain and I could nearly hear my flesh sizzle where they struck.

"Lady we must press on. This is as dangerous as the Harpies, we cannot survive out in the open long." He told me. I growled low in my throat when he said that, but an ember striking me high enough on my forehead to momentarily light my hair on fire made me agree with him.

We forged on as quickly as we could manage, past those who had in life been blasphemers or sodomites(6) writhed here in the flames forever. I had never known what Dante meant when he said their woe gushed from their eyes and I had always thought it something lost in translation, but looking at these sufferers as we made our way through this land I realized that blood eternally flowed from their eyes like tears.

I tried to cover my head with my hands as we moved but it didn't help much. Instead it just concentrated all the burns onto my hands and made my shoulder ache even more than before.(7)

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**1 -- **I've never been struck by an arrow before. In fact the worst I've ever done is broken a few fingers and cracked a rib. So I did just pull this out of my ass, I actually don't think anyone's been struck by an arrow in a long time. Well I dunno, honestly no idea. So hopefully I wrote it alright and you can enjoy the story despite that.

**2-- **Okay this is true, if you have an injury like this and you don't have bandages but you have something hot, (and it has to be boiling hot or hot enough to cook flesh) you can cauterize the wound this way. I saw it on some special this guy got a gash in the woods, took some gunpowder out of one of his bullets--which is really dangerous to do anyway--and poured the gunpowder on the wound and then lit it. It's dirty and filthy but it's better than bleeding to death really. I don't know how Orpheus learned this trick, but I assume wandering around the Underworld for years he would have learned lots of interesting things.

**3-- **I wasn't going off any specific version of the Minotaur, this is just the image that springs to mind when I think of the beast.

**4-- **This is the Suicide Woods. I wasn't certain how to specidically name it and talk about it in the story, so I wanted to clarify here. Suicide is a sin and supposedly those who commit suicide are doomed to relive their death over and over in the Sucicide Woods to be plucked at by the Harpies. Which are my next point.

**5-- **The image of the Harpies I just took from a few different sources. Drawings out of the lovely, "The Last Unicorn" by Peter S. Beagle again. Also from Greek and Roman drawings on relics and then also from just random things that came up on Google when I was searching for an image to stick to. I just liked them all so I combined them all. Furthermore. Myths state that there were Three Harpies I know, but Dante claimed they inhabited the Suicide Woods. So I made there be many, figuring in general I have stuck to Dante closer than the Myths, so I would continue the trend. Plus I assume that over the years as there are more and more people there would need to be more and more Harpies to torture them endlessly.

**6-- **I have nothing against blaspehmy nor sodomy--which yes in Dante's day translated to those who engaged in that OTHER sort of love. Personally I blaspheme every day, sometimes twice, and I refuse to turn this into some religious or political debate so just drop the other bit. What people do in their bedroom is their business and frankly if we're going to torture someone for their sexual preferences I would start with the necropheliacs or the beastiality people if I was going to torture anyone. I mean that's just unhealthy as it is. So long as you don't foist your beliefs on me, I really don't care, it's none of my business. That's my statement about that.

**7-- ** Okay if you're curious how she could even bare to move after some of the things her arm has been through I attribute this to two things. The first, is Adreniline. It can do wonderous things and I can only imagine how much must be pumping through her veins with everything she's going through. The second is, the story wouldn't be nearly as interesting if she didn't keep going. If I had her huddle in some random cave for the eight months that would normally take to heal it would make for one dull story. So yeah.

* * *

**Purple-Rosie -- **Wow! Three lovely reviews to get through! I love it! The song is wonderful, if you can manage I suggest just watching the whole musical, it's really rather fantastic in my opinion. As for the mythology it's my pleasure. I love mythology and I've been learning tons of new myths for this story myself. I love Plutus as well, I learned a lot about him for this story and most of my views on him sort of came to light in that chapter. I just felt he needed a little love and attention. Of course I forgive you for missing a few chapters, I just adore hearing from you at all! You're right the chapter twelve was non-believers and chapter eleven was anger. I can send you a link to a list of all the levels if you'd like but Fanfiction is evil about links so I'm not sure HOW to get it to you...But if you want it, I'll figure something out. I am so glad you love my story, I love writing it and I love when people enjoy it as much as I do. As for loving that Myth I do too and I learned a lot of interesting stuff about it recently so you will hopefully enjoy that when we get to it.

**and FOREVER -- **I'm glad you don't mind when chapters take a while, because I can already tell that the next one will take a long while, I think Dante specifically set out to torture me cramming so much precious fanfiction fodder into one level. I want to do it justice so the chapter will probably take a while, glad to know at least one person doesn't mind. As for Orpheus there is a very specific reason she's helping him -- though she doesn't know the reason yet. Only I know---well and Preety-Lady-Serenity since she gave me the idea.   
But you'll see soon enough, there's only a few chapters left now!

**Fireblade Quickclaw -- **Yup! I love Orpheus as well, and I love their myth. It's becoming a HUGE part of the story, bigger than I ever anticipated, so I'm glad so many people like it, because we're going to keep hearing about it. Whee. And I suppose I'm insane as well. I think it's a good thing actually.

**Preety-Lady-Serenity -- **Ah! I'm really excited about what's coming up. I love all the stuff you've taught me about myths and I'm going to miss that when this story is over. I'm glad you liked that line, I loved it when I was writing it so I'm glad to hear other people enjoyed it as well. I will be sure to ask questions, I think I'm set for now but we'll have to see. I think I got the Harpies mostly right. I had to divert from the actually Myths about them in favor of Dante so I don't think I actually left anything in from the myths to get wrong...well other than them being chased off by the Argonauts but I was fairly certain that was right so I didn't check. It was pretty vague mention anyway. But you deserve the dedication. A ton of this story, and progressivly more as we get to the end is thanks most entirely to you! You're so patient with me and very helpful as well! And I love hearing about all these myths! It always makes my day to see I've gotten a review from you. I love this one especially because I used to play the flute when I was much younger. Probably a different KIND of flute, but still a flute so YAY.

**Atrophy-Conception -- **I'm glad you like it so much and I'm glad yet another person has given me permission to take my time. This level and the next one have SO MUCH in them that I want to cover that I work really hard and end up neglecting all my other stories and STILL taking forever. But that you all enjoy them so much really does make it worth it, as sappy as that sounds. It's true.

**TotallyClassy -- **I'm glad you like my story so much, and I hope you'll enjoy what's to come as well! We'll have to see. Evil grin

**Chaotic-Pink-Chocobo -- **Well that's enough to make me happy beyond all reason!

**Jak0theShadows -- **I'm glad you liked it so much, and I don't just throw random things in there as I hope people have noticed so we'll be seeing much more from her side-kick (and you're right, never ever friend!)

**Meiriona -- **I know all about wonky internets, trust me! So it's fine, I'm just glad to hear you're enjoying it! I contemplated calling them the Kindly Ones after carefully reading the myth, but it didn't seem to fit Mandy's personality and this is from her point of veiw so...it seemed appropriate to call them by their other name.


	14. The Lady Watches

**I know this took a long while but I got distracted by shiny things, new fandoms and a tumor. No worries! It's benign, and tiny, no trouble or harm, but it took them a week of tests to tell me that. Yuck. **

**Uh, it's short but that's because the next chapter is going to have a lot of information in it, and it has been a long time since I've seen you all so I didn't want to just drown you all in text.**

**The reunion is coming in the next chapter as well, so you all can be very excited about that. It should come soon, not NEARLY as long as you had to wait for this one to be sure at the least. I am terribly sorry about that but I was utterly INSPIRED on another story, I mean I actually wrote five chapters in one sitting, and you can't ignore something like that, so even if I tried to pick this up I wouldn't have given it my all and I love this story and all of you, so it deserves the best I can do.**

**For those who wanted to see something terrible in this level attacking them, the way I saw it the higher levels of hell would not bother with people who did not "Fit" in their level, they would think Mandy was beneath them.**

**And Mandy may like to win and be the best but I think in this case she would be accepting of the status of "lesser" Feel free to argue that point, I'll listen. :)**

_**Oh yeah, have you noticed? The line feature stopped working. So this is the new, cool way to make lines.**_

The sound was the worst here. The eighth level was famed for the terrible sound of human suffering all around you but it wasn't just that, there was the screaming and the moaning and the sound of whips hitting flesh again and again and again.

Orpheus smiled in a way that held no joy and had to lean over to nearly shout in my ear just so I could hear him.

"It will do no good, the sounds will only echo in your soul." He turned away sadly and started walking. We were along the topmost level of the amphitheater and there was a stairwell leading downwards through the levels.

Stairs of stone and iron and sharp corners. It was strange to suddenly have someone helping me through these trials, someone who had wondered this pit for ages, an eternity it seemed. His feet were sure as he walked around the crooked steps, and I found myself falling into step behind him. My shoulder was burning and I was keenly aware of every bone in my body. Every last inch of my skin hurt in some way or another and the sharp rocks cut my bare feet with no effort at all.

Least of my worries my dress hung in tatters off my small frame. I hobbled after him, still determined, but more wary. I was learning, along this journey, that head on wasn't always the way to face problems, you could approach them sideways and have an easier time of it.

We hurried ourselves past those struck with leprosy. They wallowed in the mud and waste in the nude and tore apart their skin with bloody fingernails, desperate to alleviate even a fraction of the itching that their weeping sores caused them.

The scratching did not help and so they wailed and moaned in agony.

Men and women in coats lined with lead struggled along the thin and crumbling ledges. These people in life were hypocrites and now they were doomed for all time to bear their heavy weights, a woman near me had turned in her burden and was trying to drag it along. She was sobbing hysterically and couldn't get it to budge in the slightest no matter how she tried.

Her hair was rumpled and knotted and her skin was still clean and fresh, you could tell she was knew here because you could feel the last shreds of her hope crumbling.

Horned demons hopped about easily, accustomed to this rocky terrain and they carried their whips like badges of honor, striking someone here or there. Their victims were the ones screaming the loudest, these were the dregs of society, the pimps and seducers and frauds.

The demons cackled and chattered among themselves as they hopped about, their victims slung up with ropes that obviously cut into the soft flesh of their wrists and ankles. The sagged uselessly but their screams were piercing and desperate. They had no hope of being rescued and wanted only to torment their tormentors in the slightest. It was all they could do anymore.

Orpheus grabbed my hand—I was watching the people around me, suffering a fate worse than mine that had seemed so terrible mere moments ago. "We must not dawdle." He told me. "The beasts here will not touch you, you are beneath them, but the rocks will give way under your feet." He told me, dragging me forward just as the step I was standing on crumbled to dust revealing a drop into a pit of nothing.

Nothing but flames, the flames that licked the feet of the Simonists that were wedged into tiny holes, rubbing their flesh raw as they struggled to escape the pain. The more they kicked though the more pain they inflicted on themselves but at the same time if they stayed still they suffered as well. They would be in horrible pain either way and so they fought. I did not know where they found the energy to make the effort.

It amazed me.

The smell of blood was still heavy in the air and when it began to rain I looked up startled, though Orpheus tried to stop me when he realized what was happening.

In the air above us hung hundreds of bodies, twisted rotting corpses being tortured by writhing snakes. The blood was from the bodies that could not sustain the suffering any longer, the flesh tore and fell away and their blood was raining down upon us.

I felt my stomach roll but I would not let it show outwardly how much this was affecting me, disgusting me enough to make me feel sick. I could handle Billy eating sweat-socks but raining blood from rotting corpses was where I drew the line.

Then we came to see the demons dunking people into vats of boiling pitch. The smell of cooking flesh was over-powering the smell of blood and it was worse by a thousand times. Orpheus covered his nose with one hand, gagging on the smell even for all his exeperience, and for all my strenght and power and control, I dropped to my knees and wretched until there was nothing left in my stomach and even then for some time later.

Orpheus stood at my back and waited and when I stood up he held out a scrap of cloth and I wiped my mouth. Roughly, more disgusted at myself than anything else and tossed the scrap aside. "It is okay to be weak sometimes." He said, and it seemed as though in that moment all sound around us stopped.

"I am not weak. Ever." I stormed past him and made an effort to be certain to strike him with my shoulder as I passed him. It was childish I supposed but it did make me feel immensely better. I wasn't weak. I was an angry little tree-stump when I was a child and I was an angry tree now.

That worked for me.

"You can still be strong and be weak at the same time, great people know that." I was grateful for the wailing then, I could easily ignore him. I could ignore the bodies being torn to shreds above me and the ones being roasted and the ones being boiled and the ones being scratched to pieces. I could focus on finding that stupid bag of bones and bringing him back to my stupid little suburban world with a boy who chases flashlight lights on walls.

I didn't want to listen to him anymore I didn't want to hear about love and truth and beauty and I was tired of struggling through the pits of hell. I was tired of fighting back emotions and trying to stop changing. Change happened and I was scared of it, I was scared of losing Grim to it, and losing Billy to it and I was most scared of losing myself to it.

I had always been Mandy, not so pretty, very very angry and I never lost. Who was I supposed to be if I changed? What was I supposed to change into? Would there be a place for me in the lives of my only two real friends?

The thoughts seemed so alien too me but at the same time it was nice to finally admit that I felt that way. Just like it had been such a weight off my shoulders when I finally admitted to myself that I was in love with Grim.

I wanted a place beside him always and I knew that this version of me had that place, as his mistress and his owner. If I let myself grow up and change, would I still have a place? Would I still have enough power over him to keep him at my side?

I wanted him back though, I could keep my scattered thoughts together when he was around and I wanted him back.

And I wanted to set my favorite myth right, letting Orpheus finally have Eurydice back. I supposed those who knew me back in Endsville would laugh—or maybe despite the change in me they would be too scared to laugh—at this side of me.

Still, I was not about to smile or dance or sing or laugh, but I could not deny that Orpheus loved Eurydice with all his heart and there was something special about a love that pure.

I love Grim but I doubted it was with a pure love like that, I did not care what happened to him so long as I could stay by his side and be with him as long as my mortal life allowed. I would bring him home, and if this was where he wanted to be he could come back of his own will when I was dead.

_**Oh yeah, have you noticed? The line feature stopped working. So this is the new, cool way to make lines.**_

**Chaotic-Pink Chocobo -- **I left you a copy of my username, I know cause you commented Squee:)

**Meiriona -- **I'm glad you thought it lovely, I do try hard to maintain the high standards you and some of my readers have. I hope I kept it up in this chapter, it was like stretching, I don't think I've forgotten how to write this, but I still would like to hear what you think. Of course, in saying that the Reunion is next I think several people might kill me if I wanted to rewrite this one instead. Heh.

**Yin.Yang.Sisters -- **Hey we all take hiatuses sometimes! It's okay, so long as you don't kill me for my little break I don't mind yours at all!

**And FOREVER -- **I always love hearing your reviews because you're so terribly kind to me. I love writing dark stories like this, it helps combate my innate love of Fluff. It's a lot of fun--surprisingly--to write like this and I'm so honored you think I combine things well, honestly sometimes I worry about the way I do it because there are so many different interpretations I'm afraid of alienating people because I chose something else instead of the way they like.

**Atrophy-Conception -- **Hey no worries, I've been so tired myself lately (gotta love hospital visits, not. blech!), writing is fine you know, it helps me relax but actually posting, especially since the site's been kind of buggy lately, is just a hassle. So don't worry about it. I'm glad you liked it and I hope I didn't make you wait too long for this.

**Squishy K -- **I'm glad you have such high praise for me. I'm glad you like the characters, they're all difficult to write but I have such fun with them and I'm always glad to hear people think I write them well.

**Pyro's Hoodie -- **I'm glad you enjoy it! I'm always glad to hear people enjoy my story, especially one I love so much as this! Hmm...my favorite greek myth, a good question, hard! It is hard to narrow it down to one, I obviously love Hades and Persephone very much but I think my favorite has to be Cupid and Psyche (well Eros and Psyche but I've only actually seen the tale written as "cupid" I should ask my greek readers about it.) I just...I adore that one so so much. Also recently I found out there's a second half to the Helen of Troy myth and now I really rather like that one too! I hope that answers your question, I know I didn't really pick one but I couldn't narrow it down to just one!

**Fireblade Quickclaw -- **I like that idea a lot but the end's been planned already there's not much room for anything else, but hey! If you'd like to write an alternate sort of interlude where that happens I give you full permission! I actually think that sounds interesting.

**Jak0theShadows -- **I adore Pscyhe! I am sorry this took so long, do I still get to hear more of the story? I think its an interesting idea for motivating an author! I certainly was motivated (just...on the wrong storry...opps!)

**x-Eternity's Shadow-x -- **I know all about laptop troubles. Ever had the screen crack and fall off? Terrible! I hope you've fixed your troubles now and can enjoy a new chapter on a problem-free laptop!

**AzureAquarius -- **I am so glad you enjoy it so much! It's readers like you who make me excited to write, I would either way, but you really make it fun! Dione will come back, but maybe not how you expect! I agree with what you say about Mandy being tougher but mind you that's usually with someone at her side, or in her realm against only one creature. Furthermore she's been injured, terribly in this as well. I also continue that it is just one of those things I wanted to change from the cartoon, like making her grown up, and Cerberus a monster rather than a poodle. I just...I wanted her to struggle, and the Mandy in the cartoon would have brushed this all off, and it wouldn't have been--in my opinion--nearly as interesting if there wasn't that suffering, human element. I'm glad you like the idea that she's a bit more human in this all the same! But I'm sorry she's not going to be EXACTLY like the cartoon. I hope you still enjoy the story all the same!

**Preety-Lady-Serenity -- **Apartment on the beach? I'm jealous. I live near an airport. Slightly less awesome! Heh. I'm glad you liked my representation of the Harpies, I know they were supposed to be beautiful but I just had this nightmare-like image of them and I thought it would fit better with the hellish surroundings. As always thanks so much for the information, what I found was incomplete, and I like the idea that they also bring life, with Zephyrus.

I tried to show him as having a knowledge of the underworld, like when he knew the Minotarus would attack before they did, but I did try to show it even more with this chapter, you'll have to tell me how I did! (well, more like, please tell me how I did!)

I am sorry I made you wait so long for this! I hope that the chapters to follow will both come faster and make up for it, though you do already know what will happen...Eh, either way thanks so much as always, hey! I was talkin' to Pyro's Hoodie up there, about my favorite myth, and I couldn't decide, though I did list Cupid and Psyche as one, but that got me thinking that I don't think it's actually Greek, since he's supposed to be "Eros" that way, so I was wondering if I could pester you for information on that? You're always so helpful and I do love learning new things, especially about the myths!

**Neodanmatter -- **I think I know what you mean, I loved writing them, I think though I loved the suicide forest best, though you're right it's very odd to list our favorite eternal tortures! Heh. Right up there in oddity with combining a cartoon made for kids on Cartoon network and Dante's Inferno!

**Lily of the Shadow -- **Hey I'll forgive you! You will in turn have to excuse me for my horrid abscense on writing! I am so terribly sorry! You can say wow as often as you like, it brightens my day every time!


	15. The Lady and Death Reunited

**Okay...here's the reunion. I really hope that I don't fail you guys. I really tried very hard to make this perfect because you all have been waiting so long to read it. sigh I hope I did okay. Really be honest do, but God I hope I didn't fail you guys.**

**Also, I have of course started updating my LJ (link's on my profile here.) again with information about upcoming stories and actually a challange too but that's for a different fandom, so um here's a quick request!**

**Le Divine Marquise you drew me lovely lovely pictures for this story and I was wondering if I might have permission to post them there so I can show them off to people? I won't do anything until I hear from you because they are yours, but they're so very pretty and my first-ever fanart ever so I want to show them off! **

* * *

Orpheus breathed deeply, relishing the cool air in this level. He had never proceeded to the innermost level after losing his Eurydice the first time. He could wander through the other levels easily, never being noticed by the rulers of this place, but, crossing into the final level risked being found out. He was terrified of being moved somewhere he couldn't search for her any longer. And Hell wasn't so terrible when there as a chance he might see her lovely face again, even if it was for only an instant. 

When had had first seen the blond young woman who now stood beside him his heart had risen into his throat, praying that it was Eurydice, that she wandered looking for him as well and now, finally, they would be reunited.

But she was someone else's love. She was dour and quiet but she was in love. You could easily tell because Love was the only thing that would keep one going through this terrible place, it was the only thing strong enough.

He knew already that she was strong and stubborn, but she was battered and bruised too. He had done his best with the wound on her shoulder, but her whole body slouched around that point, and he could see shinning new blood oozing slowly from the angry wound. There were others as well, and he could nearly name the encounters that caused them, even if he hadn't been there to see.

The dress she once wore hung in muddy, bloody tatters around her slight frame, and her hair was knotted and grimy. It may have been a brilliant blond once, not any longer. Her skin was pale and gave her a sickly look. Furthermore the sweat had washed some patches clean making it look molted as well.

He could see the marks Cerberus had left on the soft flesh of her shoulders, and he was impressed she could stand let alone walk. Her love must mean as much as Eurydice did to him.

He knew every level by heart and Hell held no surprised for him, short of this. Black marble extended around them like an endless sea, and there was only them two, walking along with their footsteps echoing around him. His were soft and maybe a little hesitant. What if his love was not here? What if he had wasted all this time and she wasn't here? He would still search for her, but where to start?

Beside him the Mandy walked along slowly, she never faltered but you could hear the exhaustion in her soft steps. Her feet were bare and left smudges of blood in her wake, and you could hear she was favoring one leg over the other. His heart broke for her. He knew the torture and the terror.

"You have come far Mandy." Mandy stiffened at that soft female voice and Orpheus found himself at a loss. He had lived so long within his shell, wandering through the horrors this realm held, he could not have named her if he did know her once.

She was a wraith, pale and soft around the edges. "I had hoped." She whispered, her voice heavy with emotions, "But I never thought you would actually come so far."

"I never lose." Mandy ground out, it was a mantra of strength to her, a security blanket to a child. Orpheus wondered if she really believed it.

"You have more power than you know it seems." The woman said.

"I still do not trust you Dione." Mandy whispered.

"I expect nothing less. Grim is through there." She whispered, motioning with her hand to the vastness of the space they were in, and where there had been nothing, now there was a door. Mandy spun sharply on one heel and stalked off towards her goal. And as though she had been privy to Mandy's innermost thoughts Dione spoke with a sad smile. "Through that door is not the end of you journey. If you want him back you must Claim him." Mandy's patience snapped. For what felt like an eternity she had trudged through the most hellish tortures anyone could come up with and listened to Dione spout riddles about Claiming and now it was too much.

"Claim him, claim him! I did claim him! I claimed him when I was ten years old! He is mine to do with as I please and I want him back. Nyx or whomever it was that took him had no right." She fought back the angry sting of tears. She hadn't cried in years and she wasn't about to start now just because she was in pain and exhausted and...

And she wanted Grim and Billy here.

Adventures were so much easier when she knew they were back there, staring at her with awe and fear and respect and maybe even a little caring. _Worry._

Now she was tired and bleeding and all she wanted was to give up and she couldn't even do that because she was too stubborn. She was Mandy she wasn't allowed to give up or be weak or pretty or girlish or anything but cold and cruel and calculating.

"He stays with you because he wants to, that contract is moot compared to the infinite powers of the Gods." The words struck her like a physical blow. She could feel the air force itself from her lungs and her knees went weak. If she hadn't been so stubbornly clinging to control herself through the pain, this would have knocked her over.

She opened her mouth to speak but Dione raised one elegant hand, and Mandy fell into silence despite her pride. She was too confused as it was, speaking wouldn't help any. "Is that so hard to believe?" Dione asked in that voice of hers. Strong as anything but so soft and elegant...

"Yes." Absolute truth. No lies, no stretching the truth. Mandy's weakness, she could not believe that Grim would stay with her out of want. She could not believe that he cared for her at all, let alone as much as she cared for him. Mandy was startled by how broken her voice sounded, even to her own ears. Haggard and filled to the brim with tears she was too proud to shed.

Dione smiled and stepped closer to Mandy, cupping the mortal girl's face in her hands. Dione's hands were cold and solid, it was like being touched by a marble statue. "It is alright to fear and to doubt. It is alright to be human. Any woman—mortal or immortal—may stake _claim _to Grim, to them he is an empty throne and power. Your heart rests with him and that gives you a power than no Goddess has. You need faith in your _love _and your _mortality _if you plan to save him, to keep him. No more hiding in the shadows." Mandy never lost her frown, but her face was determined now, and she nodded once.

She had never considered that love could be a power of its own, and looking back at what obstacles she had over-come and what trials she had faced she saw the truth of that. Her feelings for Grim were not a weakness, they were her strength. She did smile then, but it was a grim smile, wicked even. She was not a ruler on a bluff, she would fight for what she loved herself, not have some monster fight for her.

"Remember that." Dione pleaded. But with her voice, it could have just as easily been a command. And something about her, begged that Mandy listen, so she nodded, and she meant it. She feared that her heart would break, and that fear still commanded a large part of her self, but her love was a strength, a power. She refused to lose and would use any power at her disposal, once that had meant Grim himself, now it meant her love for him.

Orpheus didn't wholly understand what was exchanged between the two women, but he could feel the power that this stranger exuded. It rolled off her in great waves so massive that they threatened to topple him where he stood, he kept a safe distance from her, afraid his bones might rattle apart.

He was fascinated by the strength Mandy displayed in standing so close to the woman, as though it were absolutely nothing at all. He was grateful to have Mandy on his side, she had a power of her own, though it wasn't so palpable as Dione's. She had a power and a determination and with her finding Eurydice seemed so plausible, as though at any moment he would round a corner and there she would be looking as she did the last time he saw her.

He cradled his Lyre to his chest. Maybe he would play his song once again...

"This is not like in your world you realize." Dione warned. Mandy nodded. "You have to have faith in your right to him, as much as any Goddess you will meet. You will face great challenges and great dangers." Dione laughed and ran a hand over Mandy's filthy, matted hair. "Nothing you cannot handle it seems." Mandy's heart warmed just a little at that. It was not like her to care what people said or thought about her, but she found herself trusting Dione, and having her faith made Mandy feel that much stronger.

"I can't ask you to come with me Orpheus." She said carefully. He smiled at her, and she was surprised at how honest and open a smile it was.

"You do not need to ask me Mandy. I follow willingly. You are the first person to help me search for her, and I will do whatever I can to repay you the kindness you've shown me in just _wanting _to help." He told her, and she was a little scared at how loyal he was already. So long she had inspired loyalty through fear and exerting strength and dominance, and with a few kind words and a promise she had this man following her with as much dedication as Billy, and certainly more intelligence.

Her heart wrenched within her breast and she found herself praying for the first time in her life, praying she could help him.

"Then you two should go now. Dawdling will not help your cause." The warning was true, and something to take seriously, but she managed a smile for the weak and weary travelers, they did not see the smile, they had already turned, ready to confront their true challenge.

* * *

The room was large, made of stone and marble. Grand stained-glass windows depicted scenes of Hell and Sinning made by the best artists and the finest of glass. 

At one end of the room, on a raised dais sat two grand thrones. Here was where the Lord and Lady Death sat and ruled over their land and the subjects within. The Lady's throne, more dainty and just a little delicate, was empty, but the Lord's was filled. Grim sat here, all bones and cloth and boredom. He long since lost all regality and now was hunched over in his grand chair.

It was heavy, and metal and gilded with real gold and topped with real skulls that grinned at all who faced him. Stones glinted in the flickering firelight, rubies and fire opals and diamonds. There was a small table situated between the two thrones and on this was a crystal goblet of rich, red wine.

The Queen's chair, while empty, was similar. Smaller, and instead of demons and scenes of war carved into the back and the arms, it was covered with roses and their thorns, and a carving of Lilith(1) entwined with a serpent.

For now this stood empty, but sadly it was not a symbol of his Queen and lover anymore, now it was a symbol of torture worse than cleaning out the toilet and cleaning between Billy's toes.

At the news that Nyx's daughters were suddenly vying for the thrown other goddesses had poured out of the woodwork looking to carve a place out for themselves as Queen of the Underworld and now there were near-constant arguments about how to choose whom actually got to marry Grim. Since he wasn't about to choose for himself any-time soon--they would laugh if they knew he was pining for the very mortal girl-child who had enslaved him. It was ridiculous, but that didn't make it any less true.

Nyx had declared there should be a contest of sorts. A test of the skills, because the Queen would have to be strong and powerful in her own right. Now he had half the Parthenon in his royal chamber arguing just what the test should be, most arguing for a challenge they would be able to face with great skill.

Startling all gathered the doors to the chamber creaked open and a blast of hot air from the outside accompanied the two mortals who entered. A hush fell over all those gathered and in the back of his mind Grim was impressed that something finally silenced there terrible bickering. His head swiveled slowly, his cowl slipping off his head with the motion. That happened sometimes when he was sitting and moved too much.

He didn't have a name for either of the people who entered his throne room at first.

But his heart ached at the sight of the woman, aching more and finally breaking when he realized it was no vision, no apparition. It was Mandy, bloody, battered, broken Mandy, still standing and just barely. He could feel the pulse of her heart and the string of her life. Her heartbeat was slow and wavered just slightly.

She was in so much pain.

The thread of her life was fraying, but she was stubborn and it was thick. It took more than the worst hell had to offer to kill her, but Hell was a tough customer, and it came close. He could tell she was barely standing but he didn't need any magic to tell him that, he knew Mandy, her moods, her ups her downs. He _knew. _

_And she was here for him._

He was anguished at the thought of her suffering so terribly on his account, but he was thrilled to see her all the same. Elated. He didn't notice the mud, the filth, the tattered clothes, the bare feet, or the knotted hair. He saw her glittering eyes and he was home.

Mandy saw Grim and would have sworn the rest of the world fell away. He was the same as she remembered, even though she couldn't see him well she knew everything about him, and she swore, for just a second, that he looked happy to see her. Her heart flew and she came as close to smiling a real, honest smile, as she ever would. Grim. The end of her Journey no matter what Dione said, there he was, she could run to him! She could nearly touch him!

"How dare you enter this sacred place _mortal._" Nyx said, her voice hard as stone and sharp as a knife. She stood in a swirl of shadows and power and loomed over Mandy, who faced her down without flinching. When Mandy spoke her voice was as strong as Nyx's, and Grim could sense her alarm. Nyx had expected to frighten the mortal. She did not know that Mandy could not be scared so easily as that. Grim wasn't certain she could be scared at all.

"I have fought my way here through the trials and traps you laid out for mere sinners! I bested Cerberus and the Harpies and the Furies and anything else you threw at me! Still I live and breath my _mortal life! _I fought my way here to this castle in the very heart of Hell and I am here to lay claim to the Throne of the Queen of the Underworld." She did smile, but it was wicked and cruel. A crocodile smiling at its pray. Mocking. "The same as any Goddess. It is my understanding that I have the Right." Grim knew her, and still he was certain that no one was so surprised as he when she spoke.

She could not just drag him away, but surely she would refuse to marry him, surely she would think it distasteful. Yet here she was, laying claim like any Goddess and doing it with just as much grace and strength.

She continued to amaze him and no matter how much he loved her, he managed to love her even more in that moment. Eyes aglow with fire and pride. Orpheus stood by and watched, they loved each other and it was more than Hell that kept them apart. But Mandy would face it all and he knew that, and when she was done winning the Right to rule the Underworld and stand beside the _God _she loved, she would find Eurydice for him.

Orpheus had no doubt.

There was an outcry when Mandy spoke. Goddess screeching in anger. _No mortal could rule the Underworld!_ And it was Nyx who silenced them all with a wave of her hand.

"She has fought her way here and she has the same right as any of us to try." A murmur of confusion. "She will face the same challenge as all the other Goddesses here, and just like them she will have nothing to her name but her own powers and skills." A harsh titter of laughter sounded from somewhere in the crowd. There was no way a mortal could face the same trials as a God, sure she had made her way through hell but that was nothing. Dante had done that once, even if he had the help of Virgil. "And I have just the challenge, something I think we can all agree on." Her smile cut a wicked arch across her pale face.

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**1---Okay, some people adhere to the belief that God made a man and one at the same time. This was Adam's FIRST wife, and her name was Lilith and for different reasons people think that Lilith was expelled from Eden and Eve was made. Some people believe she's the mother of evil on earth and some believe she is Satan's lover. That's a quick over-veiw if you're terribly interested I'll type up a mini-lecture on her with sources and I'll either email it to you or post it in my LJ depending on how long it turns out to be and how many people care. **

**Meiriona -- **Thanks so very much! Although now they've gone and fixed it. Heh. Oh well, it did work for a long while! So thanks muchly for that.

**Jak0theshadows -- **Heh, I really adore seeing the strange things you type in your reviews to me. And hey you've awesome taste in shows. I love House.

**Atrophy-Conception -- **I hope the length and happenings of this one make up for the last one. Now we need to see some updates of your story. Would it help if I held further chapters of mine hostage? You don't get to see them until you update? Heh I wouldn't do that but still it's an interesting idea.

**Pyro's Hoodie -- **Yay! I'm glad you loved the chapter and I hope you enjoyed this one as well.

**EndsVille -- **A certain grace? What a lovely thing to say! I am honored that you like my writing style so much, I honestly think that's an even better compliment than liking my story. I am touched you think it's addicting, especially since I know from your story that you don't particularly like Mandy and Grim paired together. Reading and re-reading your review never fails to make me smile. I actually really like not so much Satan--Though I get a kick out of studying biblical things about Satan, Revelations really--but the "Evil" religious figures. Sorry, I'm a bit of a theology buff...Both sides.

I am so glad that despite a dislike of the pairing that you look past it for this story. I want to approach the couple from a different direction than most authors on this site do, but that's to come in later chapters. I really am thrilled that you're giving me a chance even though the couple and their getting together is the focus of my story, THAT's almost as great an honor as saying I have a graceful quality in my writing. Thanks. Really.

**preety-lady-Serenity -- **I am glad you like it and I hope you continue to like the things I do with him in future chapters. Well, I mean you already know what's going to happen, but I mean...well...I don't know what I mean. But I hope you continue to like the liberties I take with the brilliant ideas you gave to me. Detailed yes, but I appreciated it so much. I love Eros and Psyche, right up there with Orpheus and Eurydice. Did they remember to give her her youth as well? Heh you pointed that out to me. Is the drink of Immortality essentially the same as turning the Thread of Fate gold? Or does that make you a God/Goddess versus just immortal? Man...can I go one moment without just drowning you in question? Heh. I've never actually had real Pomegranates terrible as that is. I've had flavoring in like juice, so I don't know if that's anything like the real stuff. But I'm trapped in Iowa, land of Corn and Cows. Eventually I'll find some.

**Fireblade Quickclaw -- **I did see, I actually skipped a class to watch the memorial service they had on him. The end is planned. You don't have to do yours now, the um...offer? stands if you ever feel motivated feel free to write an alternate ending, I would LOVE to see that, whenever you like, or not. Heh. It's up to you.

**and FOREVER -- **Horror is fun to write, as is fluff, we need a new Genre for Fluffy horror. :) I hope you liked the reunion, I was almost terrified to post this because so many people were waiting for it for so long I was worried maybe I wouldn't be able to live up to the expectations. Honestly now, how did I do?

**AzureAquarious -- **I am glad you think I'm not greedy. I do adore reviews and I try very hard to thank everyone personally. I don't think I could ever have too many reviewers, I will always make the time to thank them. You all are who I write for. I mean I write for fun and I enjoy it but I'm not going to lie, it is so much more fun writing when I know people who are so terribly kind are out there to read and enjoy what I have written. So thanks so much. And hey! You could write this well, maybe even better! This took a lot of practice and work. But I had kind teachers--both in and out of school--who were kind enough to take the time and help me.


	16. The Lady Confesses

**I am terribly glad you all liked the reunion!  
**

** I mean I don't mean to sound weepy and "no one likes my story" but I really was worried about that chapter because it had been built up to be so much over the course of the first 14 chapters that I was truly worried nothing I did would be good enough. But you all just blew me away with how kind you were! I was grinning for days! **

**  
Sadly next week Exams so the next update might take longer than I want, but hey both exams are on the same day so maybe it will just fry the math part of my brain eh? There's more little symbolic things and points to those who see the evil-creepy foreshadowing moment. Insert evil laughter **

**I got to eat a pomegranate! I completely had no idea that was what they looked like/tasted like/were eaten like! My friend from my Russian Language Class bought some for me and taught me how to eat them while sharing "Eureka" with me. (I do like it but such amazing shows come on at the same time and I'm a bad techno-geek that doesn't have DVR.) So that was my fun thing and I thought of anyone you all could appreciate that. **

**And it would let you see that this story is leaking into my Real!Life so no complaining about long updates! I jest. I adore reviews, even if you just yell at me for taking forever! (Which I know I can.)**

**And this was officially the LONGEST authors note EVER! I think. Sorry but I had a bit to say. Just wait, the reader-responses are even longer!  
**

* * *

Mandy was on guard the moment Nyx acquiesced to letting the mortal into the challenge for Grim's hand. No one gave in so easy and women—mortal or no—like Nyx did not give in ever. Unless they were certain of what they were doing. Nyx had a plan, there was no doubt about that. And _that _put Mandy on edge. 

Nyx turned so she could address all who were present and silence settled over the group. "Too many women love our dear King." Grim resisted the urge to gag, he didn't understand the point of such a display when everyone in the room knew that not a one of the Goddesses loved him. That was certainly not their reason for squabbling over the throne. "So I suggest a test that proves their love of him. Whomever is the strongest, most able to reach Grim though the Army of the Maenads, obviously loves him the most."

A cold rush of fear and recognition flooded through Orpheus and against his will memories flashed wildly through his mind, running about with as much restraint as the very creatures who had been the cause of his death.

He could still recall the rather singular sensation of being torn limb from limb. He could still recall the sound of his flesh and all that lay beneath it ripping, blood and things he couldn't name spilling out into the dirt and staining the sweet spring grass.

He recalled the pink camillas(1) he had been seated among, the heady scent that filled the air being covered by the sharp tang of blood. Their laughter echoed wildly in his ears, even to this day. The last thing he had ever seen had been the sight of one of the Maenad's, standing above his battered body, her hind (2) raised high above her head, and blood matting the soft, supple brown fur she wore.

Then---he had been lost in the Underworld, damned to death without his love, the only thing that mattered at all to him.

"Mandy--" He started, her name so alien on his tongue but his honor and loyalty were true. She ignored him completely, her jaw set and her eyes glimmering. She would not look on the man—_god—_she loved, she stared instead at Nyx, as though this challenge was laid only between these two women, powerful in their own rights.

"I accept this challenge you have laid before me Lady Nyx." The bow could not have been more proper but no one in this room doubted it as mocking the Goddess of the Night.

This woman had only been in their court for a matter of minutes, maybe less, but she already commanded much attention and respect, and should she accept this challenge no Goddess could find the strength of will to deny the challenge.

And yet not a single one of the gathered goddesses—who would all have to face this terrible challenge—believed that this blond mortal could last a moment against the Maenads.

"We will even give you the night to rest and recover from your terrible journey. You will find we can be quite hospitable when we want to be." Nyx said, ignoring all the others present. Mandy nodded once, the look on her face never wavering.

"Thank you." The words were hollow and empty and completely without meaning.(3)

"Each Goddess—and this Mortal—will have all her powers and strengths at her disposal. Other than that, whomever reaches Grim first, wins the right to his throne." She proclaimed. And then it was as though a string had been cut, goddesses started to vanish, off to their own homes to rest and plan. That was the danger, even Goddesses with all their power would have trouble with the wild women who worshiped Dionysus.

Soon it was only Nyx still facing Mandy, Orpheus off to Mandy's side, silent and steady, and Grim, watching all the proceedings from his throne.

"I await tomorrows proceedings with great anticipation." Nyx said, drawing even closer and then vanishing in a swirl of shadows. As soon as she was gone, and it was but two mortals and Grim, the ruler of the Underworld stood and crossed the entire grand hall in two steps.

"Just what were you thinking when you agreed to that?" He roared, it was the only time in their time together than he was well and truly furious, but she did not balk. She reached forward with one hand and touched his hollow chest, her fingers curling around one of his ribs. Grim found breathing difficult and gulped, startled at how intimate the contact was. He had always thought that without flesh intimate contact was impossible. But he felt more like her slave now than ever before. He would have done anything she asked.

"You are mine." Her voice was dark and smoky and it filled him to the brim. A shiver trailed up his spine and he was grateful for his swirling robes. But this was more important than his traitorous heart being in love with the woman in front of him. He loved her enough to be unable to watch her try to fight in the morning. He pushed her hand away from where it still curled about his rib, and he pushed her away from him delicately.

"Mandy," He started, sighing and trying to think of a way to put her off this daft idea. He was not worth it.

He told her so.

"It is my choice what your worth is." She told him in that same dark voice that made him long for a stomach that could twist. Or at the very least, lips so he could kiss her, just once.

"I won't let you do this." He said, trying to sound sure. He knew he could not let her put herself in danger. Seeing the blood and bruises that stained her flesh was reminder enough. Her life—however short compared to eternity—was more important.

"You do not control me Grim. Nyx and the others have accepted my Claim and I shall fight for you on the same field as any of them." She told him.

"You do not understand what you are speaking about girl." His scythe materialized in his bony hand and he rose to his full height. She had grown since she was ten but he still towered over her.

"I love you. That's all I need to know." She told him firmly.

That managed to catch him off guard and for a long moment he clung to his scythe—the only thing that kept him tumbling to the ground—and his jaw hung loose, working uselessly. "Now I'm going to sleep, and in the morning I will face the challenge _and win._ And then you can tell me I cannot do it all you like. I'll even pretend to listen." She promised.

"Wha—bu—_Mandy._" He breathed finally.

"I'm not going to stand here listening to you babble bone-head. I just crossed the entire Underworld looking for you and surprisingly enough I am tired." She said, and her mouth was a hard line across her face, but there was a smile hidden in the corner of her eyes and he recalled every pomegranates she had ever eaten in his presence, every pear, every time they had played chess, or she had stared at him over the edge of her book.

He thought of every excuse he had given her for the behavior and could only wonder just how long she had loved him, or if this was all just a strange trick of hers. Surely she didn't _really _love him. She was just torturing him.

She had found out about his inane feelings and she was teasing him as she was so prone to do. But Mandy didn't lie. She would mock him openly. She did enjoy torture, the slower and crueler the better, but she did not lie, and she would not lower herself to pretending to be in love with him just to torture him, it would torture her too...

Which could only mean that...that she meant it. She loved him. She was in love with him and she had traveled through the worst that the Underworld had to offer in an attempt to get him back...because she loved him.

She would fight the other Goddesses and the Maenads in the morning, because she loved him. He continued to stare at her.

"For Gods sake Grim it is not _that _terrible, nor unlikely. Would it fit better if I were in love with Billy? Or Irwin?" She asked, her face twisting into a disgusted grimace. (4)

"But-but-but."

"You can come to grips with this distressing news later Grim." She sighed, turning her back on him. Her face didn't change but Orpheus caught the look of sorrow in her eyes. She was stopped by the soft touch of bony fingers curling delicately around one wrist. She favored him with a cold look over one shoulder and waited.

His other hand came up and traced the line of her cheek, lacing into her hair. "Why?" He asked, and it was so simple a question but it was a question Mandy had no answer for. He was intelligent at times, and he seemed to be the only person around her who did not fear her, but still obeyed her. It was strange and sweet and precious. And eventually she had grown to care for him, and from that had sprouted love. Pure and simple despite complicated circumstances.

"You dare question my choice?" She asked, spinning all the way around and cocking her head. For a moment she wasn't _Mandy _and maybe she did love him and maybe there was a heart that beat in her chest. Maybe she was just a girl.

Maybe he wasn't Death, maybe there could be something more than pears and pomegranates between them. Hope bubbled in his hollow chest and she might have tilted into his touch. "I would never question you."

"Good. Because I'm going to be Queen of the Underworld." She told him.

He knew Nyx, he knew the Maenads, and he knew Mandy, and in that moment he believed her with all his heart.

"I know."

Orpheus stood to the side, feeling like he was intruding on an intimate moment. Their touches were hardly more than hesitant lovers brushing each other, but still there was something so much more than _touch _between them.

The _touching _wasn't part of it with these two, and in these two he saw what he hoped he still had with his Eurydice. He prayed that their connection was as strong as the one between Mandy and Grim. There was nothing that could come between an eternal love such as theirs, of that he was certain.

* * *

1 -- Pink Camillas the color is apparently specific because with this particular flower (as with roses and carnations) the meaning changes with the color. In this case they mean literally "Longing for you" which I felt appropriate with the rest of the myth. Which comes into play. I didn't bring him in just because I love that myth you know. So...in an effort not to spoil the ending I figured I would hold back on telling the whole myth. Is anyone keeping track of all the things I say I will eventually tell you? Because I keep forgetting about them and at this rate I'll have a chapter after the last chapter of this that's just explinations of things I put off until later and forgot about. 

2 -- Hind -- Okay I had to look this one up because I know that hind has many definitions but I knew none that would fit with the description I had of the Maenads. So what this is, is a staff topped with a pinecone and sometimes covered in ivy. They say they're covered with Ivy but the paintins I found never had any so hence the "sometimes".

Actually though in the course of writing this I have found that most of you seem a bit better versed than me so maybe that definition was completely unnecessary but I figured it couldn't hurt. And none of you seem to mind the annotations. I used them in another story and some of my readers got a bit annoyed with me. Tear

3 -- Okay saying thank you may seem out of character for her but I wanted to point out--just in case someone was wondering -- she was doing it to mock Nyx, and I felt that Mandy would stoop to saying "thank you" if it was to mock someone.

4 -- I'm sorry! I'm sorry! This was totally not me bashing those who write/support other couples in the series I promise! Just for her in that moment it fit! I won't like I think Irwin (Though I know some people spell it Erwin) is creepy and gross and Mandy would never EVER want him, and I think that Billy doesn't even rank above the Microwave in Mandy's opinion, but I would never ever be so rude as to be rude to the people who do see couplings there. I just wanted to make that clear!

* * *

**Ashes Kittyhawk -- **"Rawr!" back at you! I am glad you like Grim and Mandy so much, they're a strange and lovely couple to ship and it's neat to have someone new added to our ranks. I am also humbled. "Fantastic"? Really? And I am glad you have such high praise for my story even in the realm of fanfiction in general. I am touched. I really am! Thanks so much for your kind words and I must say...new to shipping Mandy and Grim...hmm are we going to see a fic from you:) 

**Neodanmatter -- **Well I told you about Lilth already so now I just have to bow and scrape and thank you immensly for your kind words. I'm glad you think it a "great" story. I know I always say how glad I am and I hope that doesn't loose it's meaning because I am glad and grateful for every compliment all of you give me. And we're not quite to the end yet...I hate to make guesses about how many chapters are left because as all of you know my stories do run away with me often...but I see at least...four? yeah...I guess about four left. I don't think that number will hold up really but I hope it gives you a vague idea about how much story is left.

**Anonymous. -- ** Wow! I mean...I mean you give me such high praise you'd think I'd be able to come up with something more meaningful but really just "wow!" about encompasses how moved I am. I am glad you love this story and think it the best! Honestly I think that might be the highest praise I've ever received and I giggle and smile to myself every time I re-read your review...which I do probably too often. I have always been jealous of the authors who can make me feel for their characters and I am amazed every time someone says I can do that to them. Really! I am thrilled you think so highly of my writing and even more...you think I update well? I'm always worried and embarrased that maybe I go much too slow and I think you're the first to EVER compliment me on the vague schedual I manage to keep. I was showing off to all my friends that someone said it to me...of course most of them didn't care but they all smiled and congratulated me anyway. Whee.

**Atrophie-Conception -- **I understand the preassures of the real world, I do adore your story but I can wait. You've seen me take much too long with updates (Although Anonymous up there seems to disagree on that point) so I really have no place to rush you too much...Just know I am waiting and I will squeal with joy when I see you've updated!

I would never really hold a chapter hostage I hope you know. I hate it too much in other authors. I really do detest that "I'm not going to post a new chapter unless I get X amount of reviews" crap and so if any of you see me doing that feel free to stalk me and beat me with a shovel...or whatever blunt object is handy.

**Chaotic Pink Chocobo -- **heee! "Great as usual" is such a nice thing to say. I think I need to hug you or something because it's terribly nice of you to say and I need to shut up with the "nice". But yay and glee!

**Jak0theShadows -- **Whee for God Chuck-Norris kicking. Really that probably made me laugh harder than it should have. You have a man crush? Pssh! I have crazy fangirl-stalking crush. I have a sick desire to save money and find Blackadder DVDs. (and is it wrong that I have an equally huge crush on the character himself?)

I am so thrilled to know that you loved the chapter. I really was worried that nothing could top what anticipation had you all expecting and I really was just thrilled that not only did people like it but nice people like you took the time to tell me. Thanks really. (And truly I think it might be a little scary how amused I am by the little stories you leave. But that might just have to do with the fact you get to use phrases like "Pitiful mortal balls". And how many people can make that claim?)

**AzureAquarius -- **Heh! I love that story. I'm glad you like that and I hope you like the challange I set forth for her! I'm glad you brought that up. I've heard it several ways, that is one of them. For this though it made more sense to the whole of the story and some of the Canon of the show--which I do try to cling to desperately-- to have Grim just kind of encompass all the roles. It happened with a lot of the myths I included, because first and foremost this is based off the show we all love and I wanted to stick to that first so...

I am glad you like it better this way and I am glad you pointed it out.

If you're interested I suggest researching it -- because I could go on forever I don't want this response to be too long, and I would just end up copying large amounts from my sources anyway. In some myths there are actually several gods of death, I did even mention the Goddess of Muder/painful death earlier. Thantos to my knowledge is the God of death-in-your-sleep. I can find out for you if you really like but me I love love love researching this so sometimes I assume everyone does. :)

Yay indeed! Although sometimes enjoying the classic literature can hurt you too when you want to go watch cartoons. Like recently, I sat down to watch the Disney version of Hunchback of Notre Dame. I was SO FREAKING CONFUSED! Characters were hacked out completely, bad guys became good guys and random things were just inserted for reasons I couldn't understand. I mean I can get the whole "let's not violently kill off characters" thing but...Ugh. Anyway sorry for the rant. But yeah, it is so much fun and sometimes then you see the jokes in the cartoons like "did anyone else catch that?" Like the reference to Dorian Gray in Family Guy. Whoo! Eccentric is the best way to be in my mind.

**TotallyClassy -- **Shh. You weren't supposed to know I nicked my favorite line from something else. I am thrilled you like it so much and I love that you think I make superb choices with my Diction, I try very hard and I do worry and it is terribly lovely to hear someone like it and take the time to tell me they like it.

**Darkstarofdeath -- **I tried to get this up as soon as possible, I hope it was soon enough for you:)

**SperryDee -- **I'm jealous. You had more interesting things to say about Lilith than I did! But I am glad you like my story...all of them..."Noire has a new star in its firmament, and it is thee." Earned your review a place on my wall of fame I think you should know. I love all my reviews, but the absolute best of the best get printed off and hung on my corkboard so I can see them while I write. And this was by far one of the best things anyone has ever said to me...I mean really, I'm a bit at a loss for words to describe how kind you are to me and just how very much I appreciate you telling me.

**Fireblade Quickclaw -- **Fantastic...really? I'm--YAY! Just Yay! I am a girl if you were terribly interested to know (Though I thought it terribly creative to just say both!) We still have a way to go before she's faced ALL her challanges! But hopefully knowing she's going to face the Maenads will keep you satiated for a little bit!

**Pyro's Hoodie -- **I think I've been terribly remiss, did I mention how much I adore your name? I don't think I did and that's terrible but I do adore it! Well there's not really _action _in this chapter, for which I am sorry, but you got a little bit when Orpheus recalled his last encounter with the Maenads. The next chapter should have more though if that gives you something to look forward to if this was a bit disappointing in the action department.

**EndsVille -- **I'm glad you liked my review of "A Headless Waltz" because really I do still go and re-read that on occasion and I do still stand by what I said. I like it a lot! And I think you'll be fabulous at the relationship/romance thing whenever I get to read your story! You'll succeed fine I'm certain even if you support the wrong couple. :) I jest. You can support whomever you like and I'll read it--which you need to realize is a completment in itself because I am usually a terrible person and don't read if I don't agree with the couple. I know it's a horrible habit but it's true. (and less terrible than putting the empty milk carton back in the refridgerator!)

**Preety-Lady-Serenity -- **I am honored! I am always thrilled when you of all people like my chapters because you know these myths so much better than I do and that you like what I do with them and what liberties I tend to take its...just fabulous! Ahh! I get the difference now! Thanks for explaining that one. I LOVE This tradition! And I finally got to try pomegranates and I love them! They taste fabulous and I have a ridiculous amount of fun eating them! I hadn't heard that they were actually Aphrodite's fruit, but I seem to remember something -- vaguely -- about her planting the tree...or maybe I'm just a lunatic, which is a possibility! How did you like my first attempt at describing the Maenads? I'm going into more detail in the next chapter, so I want to know if I did an alright job this time around so I have the chance of fixing it.

**And FOREVER -- **I was so scared when I put that in because I mean we all like Mandy in the cartoon but I wanted to give her a more human side in this and I was hoping that would be well-received. So I'm thrilled that you liked it. I gave serious thought to cleaning her up, but that did seem trite, and I wanted to skew the playing-field between Mandy and Nyx even more you know? I mean bad enough that Nyx is a God but Mandy is dirty and tattered and bloody and still she has such courage. I am thrilled you agree with the decision!

I know I should stop doubting myself, I imagine it get's terribly annoying. It is just that all of you are soo soo soooo amazingly nice I'm just not used to this kind of praise yet you know? I sit here like "really? Are you kidding? Really really?" It's just hard to believe. I'm trying to get a bit better. Though that last chapter was different entirely. I think I've beat the horse to death but up there it was general and I want to respond to you personally...everyone was talking about how excited they were for the big reuinion scene and I was terrified that no matter how well I wrote it they wouldn't like it because they're expectations had been raised so high while they waited.

I am trying to get better and less doubting of my story though, really:) And it's thanks entirely to kind reviewers like you who put up with me!

**Helena Lenore -- **Heh. Well now you know what the challenge is...do you like it? You'll learn more about it during the actual challange, I picked it for a very specific reason so I can't wait to see how your opinin of it varies from, now just knowing what it is, and then in the next seeing how it progresses and then seeing what happens after you know? I hope that makes sense, and really you don't have to tell me anything at all! But I would love to hear your opinion on things if you've the time!


	17. The Lady's Strength

**Well, here's the new chapter. Not much happens, but it sets up what will happen, so it is important for that. **

**Also, Crossover-Fiend pointed out--justly--that my author's notes are getting dangerously long, so for those of you who are able to log in, I'll just use the "review reply" feature to answer your reviews, rather than doing it here. So, that does give me much more room to respond to you so if you've questions or anything...**

**Also if you are logged in when you review, and for some reason I don't respond, feel free to kick me in the head or send me a PM through Fanfiction, whichever is easier and pleases you more. :)**

**Happy Almost-Halloween! I'm apparently too old to trick-or-treat but I get to rent scary movies so that's what I'm doing.  
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**Also the college I've chosen to go to Graduate School for (where I'm getting my PhD from) offers Greek Mythology BAs, which my current college doesn't so I'm terribly excited about that now. Just thought I'd share it with you all.**

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Dionysus was possibly Nyx's least favorite God of all of them, and she was well-known for disliking her peers. Still, he ranked high on her list of those she detested and so it was especially unpleasurable that she had to ask him for help.

She wanted very much for the challenge to force even mortal, little, Mandy to face down the Maenads, things even the Goddess of the night feared. Incidentally they were the reason she hated Dionysus so much, his powers were small and weak and he wasn't terribly frightening. He did not conduct himself as a God should--with grace and dignity. The only reason mortals worshiped was their natural fear of the Frenzy he could whip his precious Maenads into when he wished.

And the only reason those of Olympus respected him was for that same reason.

At least...that was Nyx's take on the situation, and in her opinion that meant _everyone _must feel that way.

Her distaste aside she still came to him and smiled a fake smile and asked him for his help. He knew she was coming and stood ready with crystal goblets filled with dark, rich wine. She took the offered glass and thanked him. God or no he did have very good wine that was an advantage she supposed.

"So to what do I owe the pleasure of your company Lady Nyx?" He asked taking a long sip and staring at her with those rich golden eyes. Everything about him spoke of nobility despite how common he really was. Almond-shaped eyes of the finest gold color and dusky skin with just a whisper of exotic origins. High cheekbones tilted towards a well-defined nose and rosy lips that were forever curved into a smile.

He was by no means thin, but everything about him still spoke of that same chiseled elegance that was reflected in his face. His hair was the only gold to rival the color of his eyes, curled and wild. It was never tamed and always hung like a halo about his head.

Nyx mimed his drink and set the glass down. Shadows escaped cracks in the floor and formed a dark obsidian table at her side, just in time to catch the glass she released. He watched her movements carefully.

He was not stupid, he knew how Nyx looked upon him and there was no lost love there. He detested her just as much and so it was especially entertaining to watch her trying to be kind to him, obviously he was needed for something. What that something was was highly intriguing.

"You know of course that our Hades has returned from his time on the Mortal Plane?" She asked, tilting her head, trying to be coy.

"I had heard something to that effect." He murmured, sinking into a chair of gold and velvet. "To find a Queen if I hear correctly." He continued, speaking more into his goblet than to the Goddess, still she heard him and he watched her dark reaction.

"Yes. And I would of course like to see someone worthy at his side, but we are having trouble coming to such an agreement." She said, her voice smooth and rich. Dionysus could not control the first snort of laughter that escaped and wine bubbled up around his mouth as he tried to disguise it by taking another sip. Wine in his realm was endless, why not enjoy it.

Nyx did not dare ask if he had laughed, she did not care to know, but he saw that blade of hate that glimmered in her dark eyes.

"How does this concern me? I do not think I would make a fitting Queen of the Underworld." He grinned at her, but she never found him terribly amusing and this occasion was no different.

"There are too many suitors, so I suggested a challenge. However one of his suitors is a mortal chit." He perked up at that for several reasons, each better than the last. It was interesting enough that a mortal would throw in her bid for a God's hand--after all that was unheard of--but even more she seemed to have gotten under Nyx's skin, which was hard to do.

Dionysus had been trying for centuries to do just that.

She was still speaking though, "And so we had to come up with something that might be equally fair to all who wish to participate. I suggested that maybe if you'd be willing the Maenads might offer a challenge, provided of course you were willing to help us." She said, staring at him with those dark eyes that could seem so cold. The wine helped with that though and he just continued to smile at her.

"They are not pets Nyx and I do not treat them as such." His demeanor turned dark. People looked upon the Maenads as creatures or beasts that he controlled, and that was unfair. They were his priestesses, the ones who had faith in him.

"I am not asking you to treat them like pets," she ground out, "I am asking you to help your fellow Gods." He thought about it in the long silence that followed. Mostly his thoughts swirled around this mortal who would risk her life for Grim, and even stand up to Nyx. It was impressive and he was sad to think she was probably going to die for that, now or later.

The Goddesses would live through the horror of his Maenads if he agreed to this. They would be injured but they would renew eventually. That mortal, would die.

"I will help you Nyx, this once, and if you come to me again, for whatever reason, I will turn my ladies loose on you. I do so swear." The promise of a God was as eternal as the God who made it. And she knew that as well as Dionysus did.

"Thank you." She didn't mean it at all, all she knew, and all she believed was that she was getting her way, and soon one of her daughters would be on the the throne of the Underworld, one of the highest positions beyond simply Goddess.

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The rooms that Mandy and Orpheus received were small and cramped. Two beds sat at awkward angles and bore straw-filled mattresses and thread-bare blankets. "Warm welcome." She murmured darkly when they entered the room.

"You would take away all they feel is their right alone." Orpheus told her solemnly, but that wasn't all he had to say to her. "The Maenads killed me." He finally admitted in a voice that hushed against his will. Mandy look up at him with those large, dark eyes and was honestly startled.

"I didn't know." She managed after a long while. It was odd that someone could catch her off guard and it was not something she was prepared for.

"Yes. They, enjoyed my music," he stroked the insturment that sat now on his aged bed, "but without Eurydice I could not play. They asked me to make music, they wanted to dance, and when I would not comply...they tore me to shreds and I was grateful for it. I would find my love at last, and I still hold that hope." He explained, sitting as he regaled her with a part of the myth long forgotten to history.

"You will find her yet Orpheus." Mandy promised and it rang with as much truth as any promise made by a true God.

"I know. I believe you." He took a long, deep breath. "If I can, I will help you. My music should distract them enough that they will not kill you, you'll be able to cross their path and reach the end. For the Goddesses it is a matter of getting their first, for you it will be surviving."

"I know that. But I cannot ask you to help me with this. I will find Eurydice for you."

"The hope of finding her is enough to let me play again." He assured her, "And I could not live with myself and offer myself to Eurydice if I did not help you and your love in any way I held power to." He explained, and for the first time in her life Mandy understood, because she could finally see that Love and Faith and Trust were not weaknesses but strengths.

"If you want to risk yourself for the little mortal girl I do not mind. And I will convince the others. The Goddesses have all their power at their disposal and so too shall our breathing beauty." Nyx stood in the doorway and smiled that same cold smile that marble mimicked so well in her temples. Neither Mandy nor Orpheus belayed their surprise at her arrival, it would have given her still more power over them and that was the last thing anyone needed.

"Then I will help you in any way I can Mandy." And Mandy felt the corners of her lips turn up in something akin to a smile.

"It is decided then." She nodded and turned to Nyx. "He will help me with your challenge."

"It will not help yo in the slightest. You will die out there child. No one would blame you if you wanted to return to the world above, a world of mortal men and women, _like you_." Nyx said with an attempt at false sympahty.

"They are nothing like me, and Grim is mine. Tomorrow I am merely proving it." She assured Nyx, and she was as confident as she sounded. Because she was Mandy, and she never lost.

"Do not take things so lightly _child. _You are not up against mortals whose hearts are filled with weakness and vice. You are against Gods! Those who could crush you with a thought. You think your little muscian friend can help you? You will die out there. We are older and wiser than you can even imagine and there is no way you will win. I would let you leave if you liked, but by tomorrow if you have not left this place and given up your Claim on Grim I will not shed a tear for you. No one will." And like the night she was gone and the candles in the room seemed to glow that much brighter.

"You are wrong." Mandy whispered to the shadows. "I will win."

"She is plotting something."

"Of course she is. No one makes the rules so simple unless they plan to cheat and do not want it called cheating. But it is no matter. I will win. Grim is mine, and you and Eurydice will finally be together for always."

Orpheus nodded, and he could feel the hope welling anew within his breast, but that did not overshadow the worry than gnawed at his stomach.

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**Anonymous**. -- I'm glad you like the sort of side-story that Orpheus and Eurydice present, as you can get a hint of from this chapter his story is becoming more intergral to the plot. As to if they will be reunitied...well I'll have to write and you'll have to read on to see. This chapter isn't too terribly long, and I think it is kind of dull standing alone, but combined with what is to come it sets a lot of ground-work and sometimes that is necessary in writing so hopefully you will enjoy and I can't wait to see your reactions to the following chapters. You claim that what you like about my writing is hard to explain but all the same you manage to make me smile so large with each review and you always point out things I was nervous about or that I myself liked. So it's fabulous to hear from you each time. Thanks. 


	18. Death Regrets

**Hmm, fanfiction's not giving me notice of updated chapters and reviews, so how about you all? Getting notification?**

**Anyway I don't own anything and I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I think it might be my favorite.**

**But anyway, I hope you ALL have a really HAPPY Thanksgiving and don't eat too much turkey. For those of you who don't celebrate Thanksgiving...Well...I hope you have a very nice week yourselves. Do something fun! **

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Grim could not name even a fraction of the Goddesses who stood before him. He could feel their power and knew of them, but he had not met them. Still they were all so ready and willing to marry him, to spend the rest of their eternal lives at his side. He sat with others who were not a part of this challenge. Nyx was to one side, Dionysus was at the other, watching over his precious Maenads more than the actual proceedings.

Though the jolly God of Wine was interested in seeing how the little mortal girl did, as everyone was. Through the ages many mortals had become embroiled in the ways of the Gods, mostly women for that matter. Zeus had seen to that.

Still that one had come so far with no help beyond a shadow of a man who was only ever interested in finding his lost love. She had traveled through the underworld with no power and forced her way into the challenge that should be open to Gods alone. Stranger still that Nyx had allowed her to enter this contest.

Grim and his two companions sat at the opposite end of the field to those seeking the throne. The prize at the end, the Brass Ring.

Nyx excused herself quietly before the contest could begin, assuring Grim and Dionysus that she would be back before the winner was crowned. "I have my own surprise for the little mortal child that cares for you Grim. She's come far in her journey and even I would be remiss if I didn't offer her at least a little help." She smiled and fluttered her eyes and faded into swirling eddies of shadow. Grim felt the cold hand of fear close around his heart and he found himself gulping.

"Sets you on edge a bit when she smiles like that doesn't it?" Dionysus asked, his voice normally big and cheerful, but now it was hushed and as dark as the shadows Nyx commanded. Grim turned empty eye-sockets towards the God and then silently turned back to watch as the battle for his hand began.

The day did not seem to take heed of the events and the sun shown on the field, a soft spring breeze stirring the air and bringing the scent of Lilies and the barest strains of Orpheus's Lyre. As he watched Mandy walk bravely onto the field, followed by Orpheus and ringed by a group of snarling, drooling Maenads that could strike fear into the hearts of Gods, he regretted much.

He regretted never telling Mandy that he loved her.

He regretted never trying to hold her, never trying to give her any of the things she deserved.

He regretted that he had let her enter this daft competition most of all. He had faith in her, but he worried for her. Her blood would be spilled on this day and he could not stand to watch, but he was required by his position to oversee.

He regretted ever coming for that decrepit hamster. If he had never come he would not have met Mandy and he would be incomplete for his whole life--still she would be safe.

Nyx was crafty, and she knew that even without Orpheus there was a chance Mandy might survive, and so a chance she might win, Nyx had alternate plans, she would never allow a mortal on the throne and Grim almost feared more to see what awaited the young woman when she won.

Mandy prided herself on being intelligent and being prepared, but no amount of words, no mere description or feeble painting could convey just what the Maenads looked like.

Their screams came near to deafening Mandy and she was certain she would hear them in her dreams for weeks after. Orpheus stood at her side as he had promised to, and he played beautiful music that managed to keep the Maenads from killing them both.

The problem lay in the fact the music also drew _more _of the creatures to ring the mortal girl and her champion. They danced about, writhing around each other. On occasion one would tumble too near Mandy or Orpheus, and would scrabble at them, tearing their flesh or cracking them with her staff. In an instant she would return to dancing and leave the two alone to press along. Their going was indeed slow but without the music to calm the Maenads the others were slower.

Dragged down by the bodies of the women who did all they could to slow the goddesses. There was a cry from the far left of the field, right along the line of trees that lead into a forest. It was not a shout, it was more like a sound of pain and longing, all wrapped into one. Anguish at how their meeting must be _this._

Even some of those fending off the Maenads started at the sound and turned to see it's source.

Nyx stood among the shadows of the trees, her long pale hands resting on slim mortal shoulders. Blond hair tumbled in mussed tresses and the woman's large blue eyes were huge with tears. She wore a simple white gown, but it hung crooked on her frame and bore the marks of time: Frayed edges and spots that had worn thin.

Orpheus saw a glimmer of golden hair from the corner of his eye--though he would not be swayed from his promise to protect Mandy. A Maenad struck him hard then, causing him to stumble and turn and see, for the first time in an eternity of waiting and longing.

Everything around him faded away and all that was or ever would be was Eurydice, standing there, just before him. So near that with just a few steps he could fall into her arms, shower her with kisses and never let her go again, he would not lose her a second time. He started a moment before recalling his promise to Mandy, he had ceased playing, and one of the Maenads fell on her in a second, sinking pointed teeth into her shoulder and drawing a cry of pain.

Orpheus was torn, between grasping his love while the chance stood there, before him, and helping the only person to offer help for nothing in return. Mandy stood tall, fending off the Maenad and throwing herself instead against Orpheus. "Go to her fool, don't make her wait a moment longer." She told him, and through the blood and sweat there was a smile in her eyes and he obeyed her without thought.

He felt the tug as soon as he left and realized too late there was a barrier, he could not return to Mandy's side nor could he help her. That had been Nyx's trick, that had been why his love had been returned to him, just to see the young mortal who loved Death die.

With him gone the Maenads set upon Mandy, furious with her for sending the music away again. And even clinging to Eurydice and trembling like a child Orpheus saw his death for Mandy, and he could see no way for her to get out of it.

And in a hushed voice, trembling with emotions too numerous to name he heard his lover whisper: "She was nearly there."

Orpheus could not watch, and buried his face against Eurydice's bosom, showering her instead with tears. Mandy was mere steps from the end of the battle, far ahead of her supposed betters.

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**Make note! If you bludgeon me I can't finish this. :)**

Aliesha -- I am glad you like this story so much and I gotta tell you I think I might be just as excited to see how you react to what comes next.


	19. The Lady Falls

**I am sorry this took so long, but I seem to have aquired more exams than classes. I am still trying to figure that one out while I study. But no worries, a lot happens in this chapter and I think you'll enjoy it a lot. So far it's my favorite. Ooh and do I have something evil planned for Nyx! No worries, she'll get the worst punishment someone like her can get. **

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Grim was desperate to look away. He had seen it all in terms of violent or heart-wrenching deaths. He had seen soldiers die for their cause. He had seen mothers drowning and smothering their children who had been born into a world of poverty and famine, the mothers wanted to save them that torture. He had seen lovers die because they could not find peace in life. 

Never had he looked away, not once in all his many years had he looked away or even wanted to, it was his duty to be there for mortals when they died and he could not look away. He would lead them to peace.

But in seeing Mandy stumble to the ground under the weight of the scrambling Maenads...he finally found the urge to look away, but he hadn't the strength. He _needed _to believe she could win, he could not see her die, could not see her fail. She was Mandy, _and she never lost._

He knew there were hundreds of the yowling women, screeching and scrambling, their hair a knotted mess atop their heads and their hands twisted and gnarled as they ripped at Mandy's flesh. When not in their Fury, they were all normal women, with pleasant smiles or kind eyes. Some might even be mothers, sisters or lovers.

But when the Fury came upon them their features twisted with their anger and hate and you could see only that, no longer the sister you knew so well or the lover you could picture at an instant.

Grim tried to work his jaw, tried to beg Nyx to stop this madness and he would marry whomever she wanted him to, but he could not. He tried to shout, to scream or to cry—anything to stop Mandy from falling to the ground.

When she fell, it would be all over.

He had thought about collecting her soul so many times over the last ten years, too many times to count. Early on he had been waiting for it, thrilled, _dying _to see her on her knees and begging him for her life. Later he dreaded it, wondered if she would indeed find a way around death—even if it turned her into a worm. He was always certain to keep an extra jar of cinnamon in the pantry. (1)

Now she was falling, sagging under the weight of the women and monsters that were tearing each other apart in a rush to taste mortal blood.

_And he could not look away! _

He had faith in her, a faith born of love, surely she would win, she would triumph.

He watched her fall to the ground with faith bubbling in his chest. He felt the string of her life draw tight and felt his throat tighten at the knowledge, he was so certain she would triumph, but in his mind's eye he could see Atropos drawing her scissors, Grim would see Mandy die, and still he could not look away.

The Fates never left their room, there were always more threads to be spun, strung, and sunder. They did not need to eat, nor to sleep, and even if they wished to, there was no time. The entirety of the world lay within their loom and their unfinished blanket. The loom clicked and thudded away on it's own.

Their job was merely to tend the strings, the loom wove the strings together, intermingling them as the lives of the people in the world intermingled.

Eternally long threads of gold glittered from the blanket, the threads that represented the gods.

The threads of mortals were long and dark, plain-spun cotton. They were all so similar but the sisters three could name each person, could brush a string and know the life they touched. There, the gold thread of Grim, cold enough to burn as death should always be, a chill in the air, a sound in the night. Two threads wrapped around it, one warped, veering off in different directions on occasion, knotted and strange, the thread of a mortal boy.

A boy who with his friend had—for a time—enslaved the God of Death.

The other thread was dark, thrumming with power even when no one had touched it, it coiled tightly around the golden thread, protecting and hoarding, a sliver of fear, that if the woman let go for even an instant she would loose the God.

Near to where the threads stretched out—not yet woven into life—it began to loose it's hold on the God. The mortal had learned, as mortals are wont to do, learned that love could prevail, and even if it didn't, love was still precious, despite the pain.

The lesson had come too late, and Atropos readied her sheers, what could have been lay before the three women, but it would not lay before the mortal. Her time was done and gone, earlier at the hands of a vengeful Goddess, and no matter how powerful the mortal she could not stand toe-to-toe with Nyx and come away unscathed.

They all sighed, as they always did, breathe out in deference to the life that was to end. They did not look up from their work when someone entered. Only Gods could enter here and what were Gods to the Moirai(2)?

The thread shivered, someone clung to it, and that caused the women to look up from their work, the loom still shuttering and clattering in the background. There in fluttering cloth and spun-gold hair stood Dione, and it took even the Fates a moment to recognize the one they had known so well when the world was young and Gods were made like the Earth was made.

Atropos smiled toothlessly. "It is good to see you Sister." She had been close to them at one time, she wove the threads of the Gods when there were none, but now Gods themselves had power to grant things, immortality, youth-everlasting, and even the powers of a God. Dione had faded into the shadows.(3)

"Sisters." Dione nodded to each in turn. She stretched her hand out, touching the warm wood of the loom that was still so familiar to her. Atropos returned to her work, and Dione reached out, her long fingers brushing the thread that was to be severed.

It shimmered, dimmed, stretched thin ready to snap, and in a blink of light and gold dust it turned gold before Atropos could sever it. "It is not her time yet." Atropos blinked at her sister and the other two even paused in what they were doing.

Mandy had fallen, buried under the bodies of the screeching, clawing women, and Grim held in a breath, waiting for her to emerge, surely that could not be the end of her, not now, so close to so many things he had always thought out of reach. She could not die, he wouldn't take her, he would not allow her soul into the Underworld, he would find a way to give her back her life.

The silly, desperate grasping of a fool in love. Mandy had to die sometime, that was the curse of being mortal, and eventually Grim would have to reap her soul, help her to shuffle off her mortal coil and spirit her away to the cold, dark of the Hell that awaited her. He knew she had to die eventually, but at the same time he had never thought for an instant that it would actually happen.

But the Maneads crowed like beasts and scattered back, falling away from the sudden ripple of power. And oh, what a power it was, it even rattled Grim's bones and he saw Dionysus grit his teeth. It was an ancient power that took a moment for even Athena to recognize for what it was. Mandy stood, her shoulders stooped, shaking as she found herself panting. Her skin was slick with sweat and her hair matted down with mud and blood, and all that went unnoticed. Grim could feel her power from her, magnified from what she had always had buried away in her fragile mortal body, her eyes glimmered and flickered with it, and even in their Fury the Maneads were hesitant to attack her.

She steeled herself, straightened her back, and favoring one leg crossed the line first, still well ahead of any other contestant in this battle for the title _Queen of the Underworld. _

There was no cheering, no yelling, not even anger. There was no sound at all. Everything was still and silent in utter disbelief that this mortal child had exuded such power, had bested the raging Maneads, had come out on top, alive, and still standing. Grim moved first, standing in a swirl of shadows and capes and he moved to her side with all the grace of the regal monarch he never acted like. He stood near her, looking at her as she looked up at him.

"I was worried for you." He finally whispered, his boney hand reaching out to brush against her cheek, if he could have cried he would. He would have given anything to be able to feel her skin.

"Bonehead." She whispered, her breath still just a little ragged. "I always win." He smiled at her even without lips and dropped his head to her shoulder, whispering between just them two.

"I love you." He told her, how he wished to have all the words in the world at his disposal, she deserved something so much more than those three words, but there was nothing. Nothing but the truth. "My heart is yours, eternally." That word fell between them like lead, _eternal, _something mortals were not.

"This is not possible!" Nyx screeched, storming towards them, while behind her—forgotten—Orpheus clung to a crying Eurydice. "No mortal could do that, you've cheated somehow! Mortals—lying snakes! You just always have to have your way! Well I will not stand for it." And Mandy turned, Grim pulling away from her, he cared for her, and he wanted to protect her, but she was still Mandy and she had always made it clear that she would fight her own battles until the end.

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**1---You all know by now I'm terrible with the episode names, but this is from the episode where they look into the future and see that Mandy is an evil worm who is immortal, and the secret to her immortality is cinnamon.**

**2--I took some liberties with the fates mind you, but their names are right--I think as I type this that I only mentioned Atropos who had the sheers that severed strings--and they really were often called the Moirai.**

**3--This is mostly my own creation. I've talked about Dione before and many of you found lovely information on her, but I liked that she was called The Goddess and I liked the idea that someone had to create the Gods and well, she has other redeeming features to the plot (you know in addition to saving Mandy's skin) so hopefully even if that bothers you you'll realize why I did it. Would it be too much of a pun to call her a Deus Ex Machina?**

** Unsigned Reviews --**

**  
Inthearmynow -- Yeah, I had to end it there. :) Glad to see you around another of my stories and I hope this makes up for that terrible cliff-hanger on the last chapter. Though I suppose to be honest they're all cliff-hangers until I finish the story. **

**Nina -- I tried to explain their look a bit more here, but when I call them ugly I mean how even the most beautiful face can become distorted and "Ugly" when that person is furious and angry, primal even. I hope that helps, you see them as I intend them--and if it's not the way you see them I am sorry. **

**Anonymous. -- Well, this chapter didn't answer all your questions, but all of them will be addressed in following chapters so if you can be patient...(And if I stop getting distracted by silly things like real life. :) I am glad you feel that way because I do have another twist or two around the corner that you can wait for (I am so excited to see how people like them.) **

**And as for the Maneads I tried to describe them more here, but if you've still got questions I can recommend some lovely sites, not just on the Maneads but on Mythology in general. I love it so very much I could probably babble on about it forever.  
**


	20. The Lady Defends

**I am sorry this took so long dear readers. The holidays, I'm sure you realize, kept me a bit busy. But I'm back now and nearly the first thing I did was type up this chapter. Though, I did face some hesitance. I've had this planned since about chapter six or so, though the idea only really got fleshed out when Preety-Lady-Serenity started offering her lovely help in reference to the classical myths and Gods and Goddesses.**

** I worry what you might think but I am thrilled with how this has turned out, and I hope you all enjoy this, nearly final plot-twist that I offer you. (Not really a cliff-hanger but a twist if I do say so myself.) I hope you all had a terribly Merry Christmas (or whatever you celebrate) and a thrilling New Year.  
**

**Inthearmynow--**glad you like the story, but I thought I'd respond up here, rather than at the bottom, since...well your answer is sort of the whole chapter.

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"I faced your challenge, you offered me Orpheus and tricked him away from me, you picked a challenge you knew I could not face alone, and I did! I survived. I battled and I won and I will not be called a cheater by a _spoiled brat _masquerading as a Goddess." Mandy's voice was low and dark and quiet but everyone gathered could hear it all the same. She was a mortal who had bested the Maneads and now she was standing up to Nyx, that made her a hero even among the immortals gathered, watching.

"You will show me the respect I am due _mortal!" _Nyx screeched, shadows twisting and twining and throbbing on the edges of the field. They rose to their queen's distress but she would not call them yet, she would face this mortal without power, to prove she was better. No mortal would look down their nose at Nyx.

"You are due nothing." Mandy hissed. "Not from me, not from anyone."

Nyx drew close to the contrasting mortal, her hair as dark as shadows and eyes as blue as ice; while the mortal had eyes as dark as pitch and hair that was blond as spun gold. Her hand reeled back and Mandy stood ram-rod straight, waiting for—_daring—_Nyx to strike her.

Grim's hand twitched at his side, bony fingers jangling against each other as he wondered. Oh how his heart broke watching and knowing that even if he could help Mandy would not want it. She was strong and independent and it was dishonor to offer help if she didn't request it, he knew better. She loved him, that was all that mattered, she loved him and she knew he loved her and his heart belong to her. She knew he was there, ready and waiting to be at her beck and call should she want him. Want. Never need. She didn't _need _anyone, but she _wanted _Grim.

"Mandy." The woman appeared in a flicker of time, one moment there was nothing and then she was there, at Mandy's side, a step ahead of Grim, a step behind the young woman. Mortal seemed an ill-fitting term. Grim could feel her Humanity still, she was still a human, but she was not mortal. He could feel the falling grains of sand in everyone's hour-glass. Her hour-glass was still and silent, frozen at this moment in time.

"Dione." Grim knew Mandy well, but still her easy association with the Goddess struck him, startled him.

"I have some things to discuss with Nyx, would you mind terribly sparing us a moment?" Dione asked. And Grim found himself startled again, his jaw hanging loose—he feared it might fall off—as Mandy nodded her head once, and stepped aside. She did not back up, but she stepped to the side, quietly, and lost in the darkness of her eyes: a smile.

But all eyes turned to Dione and only Grim saw the smile.

"Nyx, I fear you have been abusing your powers, forcing your children onto a throne where they are not welcomed. You dare stomp on the honor of your Sisters(1) like Aphrodite and those of her realm?" Dione asked, a sad smile covering her face.

"I do not dare encroach on their territory Dione. I simply offered a challenge since Grim refused to choose a bride, leaving the Underworld without a Queen." Nyx said, her whole demeanor changing to that of a quiet believer, a dedicated servant bowing and scraping. Mandy was confused, slightly, but she _was _used to Nyx and knew the woman would do and try anything to get her way.

And Mandy was in her way.

"Nyx, I offer you another chance to tell me the truth. Confess your sins and I will forgive you as best as I can. Have you been abusing the power you, as a goddess, have been granted?" Dione dipped her head, watching Nyx carefully, her face filled with a sort of sad hope. A part of her wished that this would go well. A part of her knew it would not.

"No. I have done nothing I am not allowed within my rights to do, I am insulted you would _dare _to imply that I have not conducted myself properly." Nyx shouted, furious now, her anger driving her to do rash things.

Dione took two small steps forward that somehow brought her to stand face to face with the Goddess of the Night. She reached her small pale hands out slowly and grasped Nyx's hands, lifting them and smiling softly. "Nyx, I will not offer again. Tell me the truth while I can still help you. You are a goddess, one of the Highest Order. There is a certain way you are meant to act to bring honor not only to yourself but to your peers as well. Have you dishonored us, residents of Olympus?" She asked, begging Nyx to tell the truth that Dione already knew.

Nyx ripped her hands away from the other Goddess's grasp and sneered. "Stop your preaching Dione. You haven't any ounce of Power that the rest of us do not have. I have done nothing wrong and I will not stand here and be lectured like I am a mortal child." There was no one to stop her slap this time, and the sound of her striking Dione's cheek echoed in the silence of the area.

Grim's empty eye-sockets flickered to Mandy and he saw the muscles in her jaw contract as she clenched. Nyx had power equal to his own, but in the confrontation he could see coming—he would bet good money on Mandy. If he had a soul, he'd bet that.

Mandy had no power but her two steps brought her close enough to step between the two women and grab Nyx's wrist tightly as she reeled back to hit Dione again. "You have the power of the Gods but none of the deportment. You do not conduct yourself as a Goddess should. You're nothing more than a spoiled brat." Mandy ground out. "You give spoiled brats a bad name."

Nyx jerked her arm hard, trying to free herself from Mandy's iron grip, but Mandy held on tightly. "Do you grow furious at me now that there is someone who dares to stand up to you? Are you going to stamp one of those tiny little feet and shout until someone comes and helps you out of this mess? Or do you propose to use your power against me, a powerless mortal chit?" Mandy asked, her voice harsh and a cruel smile twisting her lips upward as she mocked the Goddess who had tried to keep her from her Love.

"How dare you speak so impertinently to me!" Nyx shouted, furious, her cheeks turning red and her arm quivering.

"I will speak to you however I please, I won your damned game Nyx, Grim is mine. I may be a mortal, I may not have power," Grim started as he realized that Mandy did not know her aging had been ceased completely by someone. He stared at the pale goddess and found himself smiling, fairly certain that the Goddess might have had something to do with that.. "But I am now Queen of the Underworld. Not you, nor any of your _pretty _daughters." Mandy growled.

The shadows that had been writhing, and waiting for their chance to pounce upon a mortal and taste blood once more, fell, faded, and vanished completely. Nyx dropped like a stone as she screamed, and then she looked around, sweating, pale and confused. Even Mandy looked taken aback—if you knew what signs to look for as Grim did.

"What happened?" She asked, her voice suddenly reed thin, wavering, and terrified. "_What Happened?_"

Mandy glanced to Dione who was frowning softly at Nyx.

"You refused my help. I hadn't any power you didn't have." Dione said softly, kneeling beside the fallen woman, offering her hand to help her up. "You dishonored your Olympian Family and forgot your heritage."

"_What did you do to me?"_ Nyx hissed, whether still in pain or furious no one was certain.

The shadows reemerged and slithered closer, tentative rather than bloodthirsty now.

"You have forgotten yourself Nyx, forgotten your heritage. Forgotten what your supposed equals can do." Dione whispered, her voice carrying to all gathered, though they still strained to hear.

"What do you mean?" Nyx asked, refusing all help offered and standing on her own.

"In a time before Time, when Goddesses and Gods were still young and struggling with their powers, someone had to dole out those powers, to make things fair. I have not been called upon in eons, but I stood by and gave and took powers based on personality and honor of those who deserved them, or did not. You have not acted in a manner befiting a Goddess, you have acted like a petty and selfish mortal, fighting and lying and taking what you want with no thought to those you hurt or destroy." Dione explained.

"My Shadows..." She whimpered, sounding as though she were in pain.

"No longer yours. You acted as a mortal, and so you have become a mortal." Dione explained, her hands still at her sides, her cheek still red from where Nyx had struck her. "You have become what you looked down upon for so long."

The wail that escaped Nyx rattled through the bones of all those gathered, pained, forsaken, beaten. The sound of ultimate suffering. Grim's heart had made that sound when he first realized he loved Mandy, thinking she would never feel anything more than hate him.

"Your fate now lies in the hands of another, do not look to me. You denied my help three times and I wash my hands of you and your troubles." Dione said, stepping back, taking a place standing beside Dionysus and Grim. Orpheus and Eurydice still clung to each other. "Shh." She whispered to them, one hand touching each of their cheeks. "Watch and have faith." She smiled, dropping her hands and turning to the two woman who still faced each other. "Have faith."

"My shadows!" Nyx cried, reaching out towards the creatures.

"No." Mandy whispered, staring at the palm of one of her upturned hands and slowly flexing it. "Not your shadows any longer." Mandy grinned, showing all her teeth and reminding Grim for a moment of a lioness smiling over her prey. "Mine."

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(1) -- Oh no, not another rant about the Gods and all their twisted families, I promise, I just wanted to point out that this form of the word "Sisters" is not in the biological family sense, more in the sense of a close relationship with other women. Just wanted to clear that up. You couldn't expect me to go a WHOLE chapter without at least one note could you? 

**Fireblade-Quickclaw -- **No, she couldn't accept losing, hence her anger, and following punishment.

And if you're curious there are a few more chapters and at least one more minor twist left of this story. :)


	21. The Lady and Death Admit

**Not the last chapter yet, but I hope you enjoy that all the same. And I have a favor to ask. Having Mandy admit feelings, especially love, is a bit OOC as it is, but I tried very hard to make sure that she stayed as IC as I could manage. So if you do take a moment to review--which I always appreciate--could you take a moment more and be brutally honest about the scene. Were they terribly out of character? Was it alright? Did you even notice? **

**It is fine if you don't but I just thought, as though you all haven't done enough for me, that maybe I could ask at least one more thing of you.**

**And if you have not heard, I am sorry to inform you that yes, the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy has, in fact, been cancelled. In a press release Maxwell said that there was hope, they'd been cancelled before only to be revived, but it remains true for now. **

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There was a time when Mandy would have railed against the help, tried to give the power back and proclaimed loudly to whomever would or wouldn't listen that she needed no help and would not accept this unneeded help. 

She could do it very well on her own thank you very much.

But Dione had proved herself a friend, and one of the few people Mandy respected. Few, Mandy could count them all on two fingers. Mrs. Doolan was the only other one. Doolan had taught Mandy that it didn't matter if people thought she couldn't do something because she was a girl—_or a mortal—_she might as well just do it anyway and let the person be damned if they couldn't see past her differences. She had taught Mandy that with determination and a thick skin, deviousness helped, you could accomplish most anything. Even besting death. (1)

Dione had taught Mandy so many contrasting lessons, but she was certain that what she was going to bring away was that there was no weakness in accepting friends and peers, they were—in their own way—a strength and it would be foolish to push them away.

Furthermore her love for Grim—ah! how strange to think that without any shred of self-loathing—was just like that, a strength rather than a weakness. But she had learned, grown, and changed. And now her dreams were there, just to the side, and something more than she'd dreamed was in her hand. And Nyx who had torn everything to shreds in the first place was cowering on the loamy soil before her, shaking, pale and pink, suddenly mortal and with her new status as Goddess there were a thousand things Mandy could see beyond that.

She could feel Nyx aging, like mortals tended to do, and it was strange. She'd never felt someone aging, never felt herself aging, but she knew the sensation the moment it was brought to her attention. She banished the creatures of the darkness and stood over Nyx, Dione at her side.

It did not take brilliance for Mandy to know that Dione was judging her, there was a test here: would Mandy make it as a God, or not? Mandy didn't know what would happen if she passed, but she knew that Failure was not an option. It was never an option.

Mandy stood for a long moment, feeling the slow-as-molasses Time moving past her. The feeling of Time passing by her without affecting her in the slightest. It reminded her of Ghost Rain. One of her professors had talked about that, oh so long ago when Grim was a static thing on the edge of her life that she could love as much as any man but could no more have than she could have the moon.

In the desert rain was rare. Sometimes even if the rain fell the ground was too hot, the _day _was too hot and the tiny, fledgling drops would evaporate before ever hitting the ground. A rain that isn't rain. A mortal that is a God.

Mandy turned her back on Nyx, something she would never have been stupid enough—_courageous enough—_to do in the past. She would have considered it foolish, impossible to display your weakness to your enemy like that. But all that mattered in this moment was Grim. He had given himself to her, told her he loved her and that his heart belonged to no one but her.

The cold fear in her heart came from one fact. That had been when she was mortal, that had been when he thought she would live maybe seventy years and no more. Had his feelings changed now that they were forever? That was what mattered, because she could not accept this power if she would have to face Grim still when a time came that he no longer wanted her with him.

_She had to know._

She took a step toward him, moving slow. She was not going to show fear, she was not going to show weakness. She lifted her him and practiced her singular ability to look down on him even though he was a good foot taller than she. Eyes bored into empty eye sockets and her face and everything about her spoke of pride. _Not that I care but..._

"I believe I won you." She told him, her voice hard as a knife and twice as sharp. As one the crowd drew in a deep breath. Grim shook his head slowly, his hood pulled low on his forehead, his face still visable.

"You won the throne beside me, you won the power that comes with the title Queen." It was unspoken but everyone heard the addition there...she won the power that comes with the title of Queen _and more. _"I am merely tied up with that. You will marry me, but it was for the throne..._the competition." _He clarified, though she would never have admitted a moment of pause. She would have figured that out eventually.

Everyone shifted in different levels of discomfort, painfully aware of the fact that they were intruding on a terribly private moment between lovers. None of them looked away, their morbid curiosity making them brave in the face of Mandy's wrath.

They could all tell that there was more than just words between the two would-be rulers, but they couldn't decipher the code behind the words, they could only watch, and wait.

"When I said that I loved you, I meant it. I love you. I have for a very long time, and I will continue to love you, now and forever." Once she struggled through the initial admission, the rest flowed easier. "I will abdicate my newly won throne, for I will not have you because you have to marry me. I will have you only if you want me. But do not make your choice lightly, because I speak in terms of eternity." Mandy settled well into the role of Goddess and putting true meaning into words like eternal, forever and always came easily to her.

She choked before she could speak further. She had the words on her tongue: _If you do not love me, I will rule you and you will serve me, best friends forever Grim. _But they stuck in her throat and she could not utter them. She wasn't certain she meant them anymore. Weakness or no she wasn't certain she could face him if he rejected her after she had come so far. So many things she had long considered weaknesses were truly strengths that she wasn't certain it was worth keeping him.

She had kept Grim as a servant because she lacked the power of the Underworld, but now, even if she lost her newly found heart, now she had the power of the Night. She didn't need him anymore and she did not need to face him and feel the pain of rejection if he wouldn't have her.

Grim walked towards her with slow and measured steps until he was close enough to reach out and touch her. Once there he nearly fell upon her, gathering her into his arms as though she weighed absolutely nothing at all and clutching her against his ribcage. "Do you feel that?" He asked before she could shout at him. She was confused, not that she would ever admit it, and looked up at him.

He collected one of her hands in one of his bony ones.

"Do you feel a heartbeat? Blood pulsing through my veins? Warm skin to touch? Arms to hold you?" He asked. "I haven't any of those." He pressed his face to her forehead, his teeth cold and hard against her skin. "I haven't lips to kiss you. I can't even feel you. I can feel your power, both old and new, but I can't feel your skin, or your hair. I can't breath in the scent of you, and this is as close as we two can be, this is the exchange." He whispered. "Power over Death but I cannot make Life, or be a part of it."

He let her go and stumbled back as though he'd been struck, though Mandy was too startled by his action to have moved, and she swayed on her feet a moment before she could even find her balance.

"So the real question becomes, Mandy, do _you _know what _you _are saying, promising?" He asked. And everyone waited, and watched.

"You dare to question me Bone-bag?" The hated name was no longer an insult, now he could hear it, that soft and breathless undercurrent to the words that made it more of a confession of her feelings. Mandy was not the type to proclaim her love every day, nor was she the type to use ridiculous pet names, but here in this word? Here was her love.

"I chose you. I do not say things I do not mean. None of that means anything to me. I did not say that I loved the way you held me, the way you kissed me. I am not some heroine in a Harlequin novel you dope. I said that I loved you, how many times must I say that before it gets through your thick skull?" She had an image of the time she had convinced him to play tennis—the French way—only this time she proclaimed her love before each swing, and asked him if he understood yet afterwards. (2)

At the vicious little twist of her lips Grim was fairly certain that she had thought of some horrid way to get the information through his thick skull.

"And I am the Grim Reaper." He said, his Scythe leaping into his hand from nothing more than a flicker of flames. "In all the realms of all the worlds the only constant among them all is Death. What begins must end and I am there in that moment. _Speaking in terms of eternity and forever._" He dared to scoff. "I am Eternity, I am Forever, and I speak and mean nothing less."

"Then I suppose I'm going to be Queen of the Underworld?" She asked, but she knew the answer. This moment was special, different, and they might not be so frank about their emotions ever again. She would not mind, but she wanted to hear it. She wanted to hear those words she had never dared to hope for.

And later, if anyone brought it up, she could always have them killed.

Grim smiled, slow and lazy and he knew. He knew what she wanted to hear and he knew why she wanted to hear them and he would do anything for her. He would pull the moon down from the sky, he would lend her his femur to fetch the remote and he would spend all day baking cookies so she could get a person scout badge.

He took a small, shuffling step, just enough to bring him back within touching distance, and with his Scythe in one hand he took one of her hands with the other. He couldn't feel the pulse beneath her flesh, but he could feel the pulse of her now eternal life. He could feel the soft touch of her flesh, but he could feel the soft touch of her power, soft and mysterious and just barely and undercurrent of danger. He could not provid the normal physical loves that even Goddesses sometimes craved, but they had something completely different and no less special between them.

Anything he lacked, they had something the rest of the worlds lacked.

"Mandy, would you deign rule beside me, as my Queen?" He asked. And she smirked at him.

"I hope you know I won't stand one step behind you and play the quiet and doting wife." She warned him. He was the only one she would ever warn, she warned Billy but that was different, you had to warn him or he might forget he was supposed to feel pain when you hurt him.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He told her, and he meant it.

"Good." She nodded, and then she pulled her hand away from him, throwing a quick "I expect a ring and I do not like diamonds." Over her shoulder as she turned to face Dione, half of the Gods in the Parthenon and Orpheus and Eurydice. She was not some princess in a tower waiting to be rescued and her quest was certainly not over until she said it was.

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1 -- In "Who Killed Who" (Yes that's the title of the episode, I actually know this one) Mrs. Doolan is this lovely old Lady that Mandy meets. This is one of the greatest episodes and I highly recommend it, if you've a way to find the episodes on line or the scripts or whatever, all you need to know about her for the story I have included here so no worries on that matter. 

2 -- There is one episode, I'm sure one of you will know the title, where Mandy and Grim play Tennis "The french way" which involves shoving two tennis balls in Grim's eyesockets and then slamming the back of his skull with a racket, shooting out the tennis balls to hit a tower of the cans they come in, I thought I would take a moment to explain this scene in case some of you have had the misfortune of not seeing that one.


	22. The Lady Protects

**I'm getting a little misty-eyed here. This is the last chapter, the end, finally. What has easily become my favorite endeavor, filled with my favorite readers and what I like to think is my best work is over. I'm gonna miss working on this all the time, I really am. (Though there are a few readers out their rubbing their hands and giggling that now I'll have time to work on stories I promised them...)**

**I will still loiter around the section and I might (read: it's coming I'm just going to blame one of you) type up an Epilogue just because I'm keen to see how Goddess!Mandy handles being a Queen too.**

**And, I wanna do something special, with just five more reviews, I will have surpassed my all-time record for most reviews. This deserves something special, though I am not certain what, so if you are that magical reviewer, I'll contact you and we can work out something special...which will probably be a one-shot gift-thing since I can't do much else than write. :)**

**So yay! And now pardon me while I mourn the fact that while I feel this should be the end a part of me didn't want to see this story EVER end. **

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Mandy turned to the couple she had cared for when she thought they were just a myth. A tragic tale of love-everlasting. She had always favored their myth among all the many she knew. "Mandy." He jerked, like he was going to embrace her, and stopped. He closed his eyes in a soft smile, tears leaking out and catching in his eyelashes, and then he looked at her with a look of faith and love and all the things she wanted from her minions and always thought impossible.

He clung tighter to his love, the two finally reunited after far too long apart, and Mandy would have smiled if the scene was a little more private. She was filled with new strengths and new powers, but she was still Mandy and there was still a large part of her she wanted to keep safe and secret.

"I found her." He told her, his voice trembling and hesitant, as though he himself could hardly believe it. "I finally found her." His voice cracked.

"Yes," She swallowed hard, "You did." And a thought came to her slowly, something that had been living in the darkest corner of her mind, growing and stretching until it was a fact, a cemented thing, something tangible almost. A compilation of so many things she had come to know in the short span of her mortal life.

_Mortal._ She wasn't that anymore. No need for school, rent, bills. No need for parents who thought they would have been better off giving her to a pack of wolves.

"I will be the guardian of this couple." She announced, "I proclaim it here with all of you as witnesses that this couple is now under _my _protection and if you wish to meddle in their affairs you will be answering to me." Behind her the shadow creatures that came with her powers squealed and howled loudly, plaintively, begging for blood be it mortal or immortal.

It wasn't something she read about often, but on occasion books made mention that this god became the guardian of that couple. She wasn't entirely certain what it entailed, and she wasn't certain what it meant but she would protect these two and see to it that their eternity of happiness made up for their years and years apart.

From the looks on the faces turned up to her, pale and wide-eyed, no matter what that phrase meant no one was going to question her interpretation of it. And no one would meddle with this couple, and for the Goddess of the Night, that was enough.

Mandy looked out over the crowd, and wondered how long ago she had left Billy in the living room watching Sassy Cat on the television. How long ago had her life been tied to that plane, those people? How long had she faced the worst that Hell had to offer?

How much time was there between being an angry little mortal girl who relied mostly on intimidation and here, being a Goddess? An immortal Goddess standing beside someone she had loved for years hopelessly? Standing beside that man who loved her back, who wanted her? How long ago had she been just slightly above average? And now she was to be the Queen of the Underworld, ruling over the darkness, the night, and the undead?

She did not care for the life she left behind. It had been fine when it was her only option, but it had served its purpose. That life had prepared so that when she came to this moment she would know, without a doubt or a moment's hesitation that she wanted this life. This power. This place.

She smirked and glanced at the embracing couple.

They were so different from she and Grim, but still, she was happy with what love she had found. It was not conventional in the least but she wasn't certain that it would mean so much if it was that sort. The sort of love that requires absolute trust and bliss. She and Grim would fight, yes, but that was half the appeal, the idea that they could fight and they could scream and shout and growl, but they would love each other still at the end of the day, and he couldn't feel her and they couldn't share a physical love but that made the moments where they connected so much more precious because those moments were what held them together, and ironically enough it seemed pure, there was no lust to befuddle their minds, only pure love.

She snorted at that, and wavered on her feet suddenly. It was not noticable in the least, and she wasn't even certain that Grim saw, but she was tired. She wasn't aching and she wasn't going to die but energy had been expended and she could do with a long rest, and she could do with being clean.

However long it had been since she had sat and watched TV with Billy it had been too long since she had a shower. She turned to the crowd once more, straightening her back, rising to her full height and tilting her chin up very slightly. Her posture cried 'Queen'.

"What are you still doing here?" She growled, her voice low and dangerous and still it carried over the whole crowd so even those in the farthest reaches could hear her. "The contest is over, Nyx is bested, all of you are done. I have won, the throne is mine and _you are not welcome here anymore!" _She didn't need to shout, her quiet words were a thousand times more powerful just the way they were.

She wasn't any stronger than any of those present, not actually, but she projected a power none of them had. She was a mortal nee goddess and that made her mighty, they would cow to her whims just because she acted like she had more power, and they were all too scared to test that theory for themselves.

In a rush of power that Mandy could suddenly feel, they left. Ripples of power echoed around her and she would have covered her ears if she thought it would do any good at all. She sagged, refusing to fall and she wavered more noticeably. Grim was beside her in an instant. His skeletal arm wrapped around her waist and she realized that he was offering support. She would not look weak, he would look like a doting husband.

She touched her head to his shoulder, just slightly, and let him hold her up secretively. She had made the right choice. _The best choice. _She would not admit it, but she had been wrong. Love was a power, returned or no. Friendship was a power. People who cared for her were strengths all on their own, and while minions were good, this was good too.

Not to say she wasn't going to full use her powers as both Goddess and Queen. It just meant she saw there was more power to be had than just a few hundred thousand supplicants. Dione stood before the immortal couple and smiled in that way that had so set Mandy on edge when they first met.

"Your majesties." She said, inclining her head in a bow, bending at the waist, and showing her support and respect. Mandy nodded in response and even if she didn't smile she was certain Dione knew just _how grateful _Mandy was. Not that she was going to _voice _that fact any time soon.

"If you do not mind, I think that Orpheus has been out of Paradise too long." She said, reaching her hands out to grasp Orpheus and Eurydice, in another ripple of power they vanished, and the last Mandy could see of them was the lovers, sharing their first kiss at the start of an eternity together in paradise, and all she could think was, _Finally._

Grim still stood at her side, but now he looked down to her, a smile taking hold of his bony features, and his scythe crossing in front of them. He didn't need to ask, he took her home, and the last thing that the field was witness to was a breath on the wind, a soft whisper between lovers.

"I guess he can visit but _there is no way_ Billy is staying with us." (1)

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1 -- You knew I couldn't go a whole chapter without doing at least one, but I just wanted to point out that I don't know which of them said this, but it would fit for either of them, and I got a kick out of that. 


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